Empowering Women’s Rights: How Health Plays a Critical Role in the Journey – Insights from EPHA

The first 100 days of a political mandate are crucial. For the von der Leyen Commissions, this period began on March 9, right after International Women’s Day. In her mission letter, the call was made for a Roadmap for Women’s Rights, promising its release by March 8. This promise has been fulfilled, revealing eight key priorities set by the European Commission.

It’s exciting to see the second priority emphasizing high standards of women’s health, right after tackling gender-based violence. This highlights women’s health as a crucial part of the Commission’s approach to ensuring equality. This focus is the result of teamwork from various stakeholders advocating for women’s health. However, this is just the beginning. The next step is to turn these priorities into real actions. This can include enhancing research, improving healthcare training, and empowering women in communities.

Addressing women’s health is only part of the challenge. There’s a need to continue raising awareness about structural injustices in healthcare that fail to meet women’s specific needs. Organizations like EPHA have actively participated in this dialogue through events, newsletters, and articles discussing key issues in women’s health over the past year.

This newsletter builds on that work, keeping the conversation about women’s rights alive. For instance, the European Cancer Organisation has outlined five essential rights for women with cancer. The European Liver Patients’ Association provides seven recommendations to achieve health equity for women suffering from liver diseases. In Greece, Klimaka highlights the challenges of early marriage and motherhood within Roma communities, sharing insights from its Roma Influencers Network. Additionally, Make Mothers Matter discusses the intersectionality faced by mothers with disabilities, offering thoughtful recommendations. Researchers from Wageningen and Edinburgh universities are shining a light on the burden of endometriosis and the goals of the EUmetriosis project.

While these first steps are promising, addressing the deep-seated injustices women have faced for centuries cannot be accomplished in just 100 days. The effects of these injustices are profound and require a comprehensive approach to identify where efforts are still needed. The Roadmap for Women’s Rights sets the direction forward, but we must ensure that no story goes unheard as we strive for true gender equality.

For those looking for more solid evidence on gender health disparities, a 2021 report by the World Health Organization found that women are often underrepresented in health research, which can lead to inadequate care. Staying informed about these disparities will help us push for effective change.



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