The right to health: Overcoming inequalities and barriers to women's health in Papua New Guinea

SynopsisFew attempts have been made to examine women's health in Papua New Guinea using a human rights framework that puts women and their experiences with fear, abuse, oppression and discrimination, at the core of women's health. This article describes the findings of a qualitative study that examined the key determinants of women's poor health and the level of access to appropriate health care in relation to the right to health. Three main themes emerged as significant barriers to health; 1) violence 2) heavy workload and lack of economic opportunities 3) limited use of health services. The findings show that women's familial, socioeconomic status and productive roles intertwine to threaten their right to health. These findings should challenge health practitioners and policy makers in Papua New Guinea to put questions of power, resources, vulnerability and discrimination at the core of women's health programming.