Introduction: gender inequalities

Women live longer than men. It may therefore be surprising to think of health-related gender inequalities for women and girls rather than for men and boys.

So on average in Gateshead, women live 4.2 years longer than men. In England, this difference is smaller - 3.7 years on average.

However, although females live longer, they do so in poorer health compared to males. This is reflected in what we describe as the 'healthy life expectancy' and in Gateshead, women live for nearly four years longer in poor health compared with men.

Inequality in life expectancy in Gateshead is also increasing at a faster rate for females than it is for males. This means that the difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas of Gateshead is getting wider faster for females.

Gender is a determinant of health. Many health conditions, health behaviours, service access, and exposures to health risks vary by sex and gender. Gender inequality may be experienced by women in relation to pay gap, occupational segregation, primary caring responsibilities for children/family, gender based violence and less economic and political power, all of which can contribute to poor health. 
(World Health Organization (WHO))

Gender-based discrimination overlaps with other factors of discrimination, including ethnicity, disability, deprivation, age, gender identity and sexual orientation and can exist across a lifetime. 

Because females represent half of our population and therefore half of our potential, we need to understand how we can enable women and girls to live longer and healthier lives, and to have equal opportunities throughout their lifetime.