Woman And Health Within The Constitution

Woman and health within the Constitution

Although the National Constitution enshrines health as a fundamental right for all Ecuadorian citizens, the reality is that the country’s public health system only provides coverage to 41% of the population according to figures from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). In a country with a population density of 17 million inhabitants, that translates into the neglect of more than 10 million people, of which almost half are women. 

In this context, talking about the situation of access to health for women is quite complicated, but if we also give it a socioeconomic dimension, it becomes an almost impossible problem to address due to the lack of information regarding the issue. This is due to the fact that gender inequities remain an undervalued issue in Ecuadorian society.

Poverty with a gender vision

In recent years, a sustained decrease in poverty rates has been evidenced in Ecuador;However, according to statistics more than 31% of the population is going through some type of poverty. This condition affects women more significantly;According to data provided by the Minister of Justice, Rosana Alvarado, by 2018, 62% of women maintained a precarious job while 41% of poor women were housewives without any salary or recognition.

It should be noted that the gap is greater in indigenous women and those belonging to rural areas since they are victims of gender violence, poor academic training, forced labor for low salary and neglect by the health system, because they usually reside indifficult access zones.

To try to correct this situation, in 2017 a bill was approved to prevent and eradicate violence against women, which in addition to imposing strong sanctions against the aggressor, opens the possibility of financial compensation for the victim, for theirYears of domestic work.

INEQUITY IN THE HEALTH SYSTEM

The Ministry of Public Health states that in the last 5 years the National Executive has increased the health sector budget by 600%. Which has been used to expand health coverage in primary care, with an approach to health prevention and promotion, in order to achieve equitable planning. 

However, according to the latest report by the Inter -American Development Bank, Ecuador is among the countries that investigates its economic resources in services less efficiently. In part, because resources are not allocated to the attention of priority sectors or vulnerable populations;and on the other hand due to weaknesses and mistakes in public administration policies that have historically been handled in the region.

In this sense, it is urgent that the authorities avoided themselves efficiently and expeditiously, the serious problems of access to public health systems that present the most vulnerable strata of the population, as is the case of low -income women andespecially those belonging to rural and indigenous areas.