‘Women’s Participation In Power’ Essential For Effective Control, Treatment Of Women’s Cancers

The Lancet: Women, power, and the cancer divide
Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile

“…[T]his Lancet Series focused on women’s cancers … exposes the striking reality of a cancer divide that jeopardizes women’s lives and wellbeing around the globe. It also situates cancer as an issue that has not received as much attention as other women’s diseases or conditions, highlighting it as a growing public health and social concern that needs to be prioritized by all stakeholders. These messages are particularly important for women in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) who are currently being left behind … To move forward … particularly around efforts directed to control women’s cancer effectively and equitably, we should start by empowering women in societies. Increasing women’s participation in power across different arenas will facilitate policy and progress. We need to overthrow the difficult and persistent barriers so that women of tomorrow can live without the burden of inequality and discrimination we currently experience, especially in health. In this context, we must bridge and enhance evidence, policy, and action to create the environments women need to live a healthy life, to innovate in cancer prevention and treatment, and to provide universal coverage for strong health systems, all to make our planet a better world both for men and women and the future of humanity, our children” (2/25).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

KFF Headquarters: 185 Berry St., Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107 | Phone 650-854-9400
Washington Offices and Barbara Jordan Conference Center: 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005 | Phone 202-347-5270

www.kff.org | Email Alerts: kff.org/email | facebook.com/KFF | twitter.com/kff

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news, KFF is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, California.