Women in Healthcare

According to a new report published by the World Health Organization (WHO), despite dominating in numbers by 67% in the global health sector, women receive 24% lower wages compared to men’s remuneration.

The report, titled ‘Fair Share for Health Care,’ states that female representation in leadership roles is also significantly lower in the healthcare sector.

While men hold sway in medical professions, the participation of women in nursing staff has increased to almost 90%, according to the report.

According to the report, women in India spend 73% more time in jobs where they receive no wages, compared to men, who spend only 11% of their time in such work.

The report adds that the wage gap prevents women from fully providing financial support for their families.

Women contributing to household income spend 90% of their earnings for their families, while men allocate only 30% to 40% of their income for the same.

The decision-making power of women in families is also not up to a specific mark.

The report concludes by outlining how gender-equitable investments in the healthcare sector can do justice to this inequality, creating fair and inclusive economies along with better health outcomes. The report also presents six policy levers to better value health and care work.

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