Keywords
Women; Right to health; Iran; Human rights; Women’s health
Abstract
In Iran, discrimination based on gender in the enjoyment of right to health is prohibited. Health of Iranian women has improved considerably in recent years. Making health services physically and financially accessible to all the population and removing social and cultural barriers of women’s access to health services are main considerations of health laws and policies of Iran. But in practice, disparities in health indicators and access of women to health services can be seen. Some groups of women including unemployed women, women without an appropriate male guardian, widows, divorced women, women living with disabilities, migrant and indigenous women, women belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, elderly women, street women, rural women, and poor women do not have equal access to health services in Iran. To realise everyone’s right to health, this country should immediately remove the disparities.Empowerment of women and providing opportunities for them to work and participate in the society will help them to enjoy their rights too. Defining rights in the Constitution or legislation is not enough for the protection of rights, they must be translated into realities. Iran should use all the necessary means; legislative, administrative, budgetary, and judicial towards the full realisation of women’s right to health. National plans on women’s empowerment and support should be interpreted in provincial programs and action plans with detailed lists of related authorities and their responsibilities. Moreover, a monitoring system and defined benchmarks for assessment of women’s enjoyment of right to health should be established in the health system of Iran. Realising other economic, social and cultural rights including the rights to food, shelter, education, employment and a standard of life will improve the enjoyment of Iranian women’s of their right to health
Citation
Kokabisaghi F. What does the Constitutional Right to Health Mean for Women in Iran?. SM J Public Health Epidemiol. 2017; 3(2): 1039s.