Women's health

Since the beginning of 2000, WHO provides financial assistance to the recently opened Women's Affair Department of the Ministry of Health. The assistance has a focus on supporting the work of the department particularly regarding mainstreaming of gender in health agendas, so that women's concerns are reflected during planning and implementation of health programmes.

Major achievements during the last four years:

• Sensitisation and training on gender and health were given to regional gender focal points to support capacities in the regional health bureaus;
• Ethiopia was one of the 18 African countries where the 'Women's Health Profile' has been successfully prepared through WHO assistance;
• Development of a 'Gender Guideline' for use in planning, implementation and monitoring of health programs;
• A study was undertaken on the 'Role of Women in Traditional Medicine in Ethiopia';
• Most recently, a study on 'Health Problems of Poor Women' has been undertaken.