The Low social status, attributed to women in developing world, has a direct bearing on all aspects of their life, including their very right to exist, opined a senior researcher and International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Secretary General Professor S. Arulkumaran.
In his key-note address here on Monday during the inaugural session of the National Health Sciences Research Symposium "Reproductive Health - A Lifecycle Approach" being organised by the Aga Khan University, the speaker referring to discrimination experienced by women with specific context of health care, during varied phases of their lives, reminded that there happens to be no less than a shortfall of six percent of women in South Asia and China.
The 0.94:l ratio - women to men ratio in South Asia and China is an outcome of the rampant bigotry towards women, he elaborated, mentioning that in countries where women and men get equal the female: the male ratio comes to 1.05:1.
The discretion is contributory towards no less than 100 million missing women in China and over 100 million in South and West Asia and North Africa.
It is not that girl child, who only is exposed to gender bias and is an easy victim to mortality and morbidity right from her infancy, but those who grow up are also exposed to perilous conditions, reminded the speaker, who is also the Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, St. George's Hospital, University, London.
Elaborating his stance, he said no less than 120 million Third World-based women willing to avoid pregnancies do not have means to prevent it while 20 million of them put their health and lives at grave risk by resorting to unsafe abortions.
Reiterating the fact that reproductive health was more than maternal mortality, he observed that to improve reproductive health in developing countries a life cycle approach needs to be taken ultimately preventing the vicious cycle effect.
Health policies, delivery of services and research in reproductive health is urgently needed and should be structured, said Professor Arulkumaram.