WHISE recognises that women have been disproportionately affected by poorer sexual & reproductive health (SRH) compared with men. As such, SRH has become an important and fundamental aspect of women’s quality of life.

A woman's quality of life is impacted by...

Highlighting the way in which women are disproportionately affected by SRH is critical to better understanding women’s experiences and the reasons why SRH is significant to one’s overall health and wellbeing. Some of these examples include:

  • Women bear the demands of childbearing, including control of fertility and reproductive choice.
  • Women’s lives are influenced by the gendered social relations and norms that exist and are manifested in “relations with their intimate partners, immediate family, community, and, ultimately, broader society”(Kane, et al., 2016, p. 1). There may be expectations about sexual consent, ability to use condoms and the ability to exercise autonomy in contraception choices.
  • Women are more likely to be victims of family violence and sexual assault. Gender-based violence is also more likely to be directed towards women and may include sexual abuse, forced marriage, and lack of reproductive choice.

Gender is considered a social determinant of health as it can profoundly impact on women’s quality of life. Power dynamics, unequal distribution of resources, and work opportunities are all said to be gendered. Within Australia, the gendered nature of many professions is still a reality.

Understanding gender as a social determinant of health “enables us to appreciate the diverse needs of women based on their individual life circumstance”

Hach, 2012