FEMALE HEALTH & HYGIENE

Most women are aware of the importance of hygiene. Over the past decades, governments have taken steps towards improving womens health in line with commitments made in key international summits. Progress has been made in reducing maternal mortality, which accelerated with the launch of the United Nations secretary generals Global Strategy for Womens and Childrens Health in 2010. Use of maternal healthcare and family planning has increased in some countries. Progress has also been seen on two determinants of womens health school enrolment rates for girls and political participation of women but not for others such as gender based violence.

However, societies are still failing women in relation to health, especially in low resource settings. Discrimination on the basis of their sex leads to health disadvantages for women. Structural determinants of womens health, along with legal and policy restrictions, often restrict womens access to health services.

Poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes represent a third of the total global burden of disease for women aged 15-44 years. Unsafe sex and violence are major risk factors for death and disability among women and girls in low and middle income countries and continue to disproportionately affect marginalised groups in high income countries. Almost 60% of all new HIV infections among young people aged 15-24 years occurred in girls and young women.

Sexually transmitted infections, of which human papillomavirus infection is the most common, disproportionately affect women and adolescent girls. About 70% of cases of cervical cancer worldwide are caused by human papillomavirus.

This programme aims in making females understand
Why is hygiene so important to women?

• Our own personal health depends upon a level of cleanliness to keep us free from disease, such as skin diseases, respiratory diseases or gastro intestinal diseases

 

• Factors such as sweating, menstruation (having your period) and vaginal discharge make personal hygiene vital, to prevent body odour and to maintain health

 

• As carers, women prepare food for others, clean for others and carry out personal hygiene for children. This means that women are at risk of spreading germs and hence disease. Any other factors effecting women health and hygiene