WOMENS HEALTH-PROBLEMS IN THE ARAB-WORLD - A HOLISTIC POLICY PERSPECTIVE

The paper reviews key health problems of women in the Arab World. It r elies on data and information from international yearbooks, regional d ata bases, and small scale field studies. The relevant context in whic h women live; of lingering illiteracy rates, lack of access to cash in come, and increasing poverty is described. Reproductive health is revi ewed within this context pointing to trends of delayed marriage and de clining fertility in some countries while other countries maintain hig h levels. Similar variability is observed in contraceptive use rates a nd the interaction of contraception and health is discussed. Evidence points to high levels of reproductive morbidity. The socio-cultural co ntext is found particularly relevant to pregnancy and childbirth, seen as natural processes by women, to experiences of menopause, and to vi olence against women, particularly female circumcision. A holistic pol icy perspective is suggested to address these problems. (C) 1997 Inter national Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.