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Handbook of WMA Policies
World Medical Association ½ R-1997-03-2008
WMA RESOLUTION
ON
ACCESS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO HEALTH CARE
AND THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN THE MEDICAL PROFESSION
Adopted by the 49th
WMA General Assembly, Hamburg, Germany, November 1997
and amended by the 59th
WMA General Assembly, Seoul, Korea, October 2008
PREAMBLE
For years women and girls worldwide have been suffering increasing violations of their
human rights. These violations often arise from historically based gender bias where
women and girls are restricted in their access to, inter alia, employment, education and
health care.
In many countries, due to, inter alia, religious and cultural convictions, female doctors and
nurses have been prevented from exercising their profession, which may lead to female
patients and their children not having access to health care.
Girls have the same rights as boys, and women have the same rights as men. Discrimina-
ting against girls and women damages their health expectation. Education of girl children
is a major factor affecting their likelihood of experiencing health and well-being as adults.
It also improves the chances of their children surviving infancy. Secondary discrimination
due to social, religious and cultural practices – which diminishes women’s freedom to
make decisions for themselves and to access work and healthcare – should be condemned.
RECOMMANDATIONS:
Therefore, the World Medical Association urges its constituent members to:
• Categorically condemn violations of the basic human rights of women and child-
ren, including violations stemming from social, religious and cultural practices;
• Insist on the rights of women and children to full and adequate medical care, espe-
cially where religious and cultural restrictions hinder access to such medical care;
• Promote women’s and children’s health rights as human rights;
• Sensitize their membership on issues of gender equality and on participation of
women in decision-making and health related activities;
• Increase broad-based representation and effective participation of women in the
medical profession, especially in light of the increased enrolment of women in
medical schools;
R-1997-03-2008½ Seoul
Woman and children to Health Care
• Promote the achievement of the human right to equality of opportunity, equality of
treatment and non-sexism;
• Promote a higher growth rate of membership in National Medical Associations
amongst women through empowerment, career development, appropriate training to
improve knowledge and skills, and other strategic initiatives.