Abstract

ARTILES-VISBAL, Leticia. The Gordian knot in gender equity. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2008, vol.10, suppl.1, pp.109-118. ISSN 0124-0064.

Gender has been considered to be one of the social determinants of health; this fact constitutes an opportunity for going deeper into an analysis which, as it is a daily matter, becomes invisible. Gender-equity in health means having equal opportunities of gaining access to the available resources, a democratic distribution of power and know-how in the health system and a health policy benefitting all without allowing privileges due to gender differences. The set of factors involved in inequities due to cultural and social construction assigned to and assumed by females and men constitutes a complex framework, a Gordian knot. Gender inequity is expressed in the different ways in which people reproduce biologically and socially. Gender is a cultural determinant which is socially assumed, expressed in hierarchical power relationships and in stereotypes, performing roles and, above all, controlling resources. This work is aimed at disclosing different links of this Gordian knot, which must be dismantled or cut for making advances towards gender-equity in health.

Keywords : Gender; inequality; health; social problems.

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