title: Relevance of gender-sensitive policies and general health indicators to compare the status of South Asian women's health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  despite goals for gender equity in South Asia, the relationship between gender-sensitive policies and the empowerment of women is complex and requires an analysis of how policies align with a broad set of social, cultural, political, and economic indicators that relate to women's health.
  
  
  METHODS
  through a review of four documents under the umbrella of the World Health Organization and the United Nations, a list of 17 gender-sensitive policy and 17 general health indicators was generated with a focus on health, education, economic, and political empowerment and violence against women. A series of policy documents and international and national databases that are accessible in the public domain were the major tools used to find supporting documentation to address women's health outcomes in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
  
  
  RESULTS
  all five South Asian countries had several gender-sensitive policies that were measurable by indicators that contribute to health. Examination of political and economic status, birth sex ratios, human trafficking, illiteracy rates, maternal mortality rates, contraception prevalence, fertility rates, knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevention, access to skilled birth attendants, and microfinance show that large gender inequities still prevail despite the presence of gender-sensitive policies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  in many cases, the presence of gender-sensitive policies did not reflect the realization of gender equity over a wide range of indicators. Although the economic, political, social, and cultural climates of the five countries may differ, the integration of women's needs into the formulation, implementation, and monitoring of policies is a universal necessity to achieve positive outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. roopan.gill@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Roopan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: Donna E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D001211:Asia, Western; D044466:Asian People; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006291:Health Policy; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D011640:Public Policy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014933:Women's Rights