Afrodescendant Women’s Health: Overcoming Systemic Injustices and Striving for Equity
In countries worldwide, women and girls of African descent continue to endure a disturbing pattern of racial abuse within the health sector, leading to devastating consequences for their maternal health.
The UN’s sexual and reproductive heals agency has shed a light on the grave issue, revealing a distressing reality of mistreatment that ranged from verbal and physical abuse to denial of quality care and pain relief. As a result, Afrodescendant women face increased complications during pregnancy and childbirth, often leading to tragic outcomes.
This systematic mistreatment is further exacerbated by deeply ingrained, unscientific, racist, and slave era beliefs still present in the medical training practices. Shockingly, in the United States, the material mortality rate for Black women and girls is three times higher than non-Afrodescendant and non-Hispanic women. Even among African American college graduates, maternal deaths persist at a rate 1.6 times higher than among white women with less education. This tragic disparity persists regardless of income and education levels, highlighting the urgent need for transformative change within the healthcare system.
To combat these injuries, the UN report calls upon medical schools to address racist ideologies in their training curricula and hospitals to established policies that explicitly forbid any form of abuse of discrimination targeting Afro Descendant women and girls, Furthermore, national and local policies, plans and programs must be revised to acknowledge and address the specific health related vulnerabilities faced by people of African Descent. The intersection of structural racism and sexism in healthcare delivery and medical education must be dismantled to ensure equitable access to comprehensive maternal and sexual reproductive rights.
Afrodescendant women and girls often encounter numerous structural barriers, ranging from geographical isolation and limited access to transportation to a lack of adequate medical insurance and culturally appropriate health services. Additionally, further hinder access to Sufficient Antenatal Care (ANC). Addressing these complex challenges demands collective action, policy reforms, and societal commitment to achieving equitable and accessible healthcare for all.
In conclusion, the mistreatment and health disparities faced by Afrodescendant women and girls are rooted in historical and systemic racism. Urgent and comprehensive efforts are required to dismantle discriminatory practice, racist ideologies and socioeconomic barriers that obstruct their access to quality maternal and reproductive healthcare. By empowering and advocating for the rights of Afro Descendant women, societies worldwide can take a significant step towards achieving health equality and justice for all.
