Gender disparities in the sphere of health are the direct consequence of gender dis
crimination in other spheres of social well-being. Thus, any policy targeting women's
health must recognise that women's health outcomes are invariably linked to other
aspects of their lives and to their unequal social positions. However, current 'utero
centric' policies fail to recognise that women's health, including reproductive health,
is inextricably linked to gender inequality. Considering women's health in isolation
leads to an improper understanding of the issue, and, therefore to clumsy and in
effective policy planning. This paper recommends a comprehensive women's health
policy based on a life-cycle approach to significantly improve the health status of
girls and women.
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