Multivariate analysis confirms that poverty levels in namibia are higher for instance among households that are femaleheaded, based in rural areas and have one or more children. A short history of an idea 3 understanding the field appeared, which accommodated new realities through a looser, more multidimensional framework. Globally, namibia has the third highest levels of income inequality, according to the world bank. Produce headline indicators to monitor health inequalities, support further.
The norwegian policy to reduce health inequalities. Government spending on health, education and social protection is woefully low. Although social inequalities in health exist in all societies worldwide, the degree of these inequalities varies spatially and notable differences exist within europe. Sociology has long recognized that social inequality is a fundamental dimension of social institutions and there is growing interest in apply this insight to health related behavior and outcomes 3, 4. That there should be a spread of life expectancy of 48 years among countries and 20 years or more within countries is not inevitable. The interlinked issues of poverty, unemployment and inequality pui can be traced back to namibia s colonial apartheid legacies and continue to haunt the country since its independence in 1990. This paper presents a rapid appraisal of policies, programmes, or actions that have the potential to address social exclusion and reduce health. The namibia ministry of health and social services mohss and icf international. One obstacle to higher incomes for all has been the regions entrenched economic and social inequalities. This is particularly the case for south africa sa with its very high level of income inequality and inequalities in health and health outcomes. In south africa, inequalities exist in socioeconomic status ses and in access to basic social services and are exacerbated by inequalities in health.
Explaining the role of the social determinants of health on. However, awareness of these provisions is low and implementation capacity in still very limited among the police force, social welfare and justice. This profile shows that poverty status in the country is closely correlated with a series of social, demographic, geographic and economic features of households. There was a substantial narrowing of health inequalities in the uk and usa between the 1920s and 1970s, the period in which welfare states were constructed and income inequalities declined. More recent studies have moved away from simple correlation analysis to investigate whether income inequality causes health and social problems, independent of other factors. Socioeconomic inequalities in child vaccination in lowmiddle. Gender inequality 4 aggressive than women and, on average, have stronger instinctual proclivities to dominate, and that woman because of genes and hormones are on average more nurturant and have stronger dispositions to engage in caregiving activities. Mohss ministry of health and social services mrlghrd ministry of regional, local government, housing and rural. The case studies present successful examples of policy action aiming to reduce health inequities, covering a wide range of issues, including conditional cash transfers, genderbased violence, tuberculosis programmes and maternal and child health.
One study by the national bureau of economic research showed namibia as having the highest levels of wealth inequality in the world in 2000. The most recent figures on poverty and inequality used by the namibian. Namibia should not celebrate but criticise the news that the countrys housing market recorded the second highest price increase in the world, second only to dubai, the most populous oil city in the. The main challenges include the redressing of imbalances, transformation of service delivery system and increase in efficiency. The persistence of social inequalities in health is well established. Poverty and inequality context in namibia ceq institute. Other dimensions of gender inequality in health such as in morbidity, access to health care and in social and economic consequences of ill health are seldom examined. Inequities in skilled attendance at birth in namibia. Other inequalities pdf are also hugely significant. Public health social determinants of health inequalities. This study aimed to measure and identify factors associated with socioeconomic inequalities in full immunisation coverage against the four core vaccinepreventable diseases ie, bacille calmetteguerin, diphtheriatetanuspertussis three doses, polio three doses and measles vaccines. Notably, a generalised entropy index is used for a decomposition exercise that reveals how in general inequality in namibia is the product more of inequality within different social groups rather than of inequality between them. It is a value in itself but through its influence on social, education and labour market outcomes being in good or bad health has also wider. There is less agreement about whether or not there is a causal relationship, but.
Yet, namibia is an uneven society with one of the highest levels of income inequality. Background socioeconomic inequalities in child vaccination continue to be a global public health concern. This is an indication of increased recognition of the need to address gender issues in the countrys development programmes. This marked an important step towards the attainment of gender equality in namibia.
Social inequalities are a proper concern of epidemiology. A social hierarchy is shaped like a pyramid with each stratum more powerful than the one below it. That there should be a spread of life expectancy of 48 years among countries and 20. Namibia has the secondhighest gini index of inequality in the world. Whoeurope social inequalities in environment and health. Gender is the economic, social, political, and cultural attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female. Equity in access to health care and other social amenities is also one of the. Gender integration means taking into account both the differences and the inequalities. Eurohealth vol 15 no 3 4 health inequalities health is a universal human aspiration and a basic human need. A gaping wealth gap namibia is one of just nine countries in africa categorized by the world bank as upper middle income. The poor health of the poor, the social gradient in health within countries, and the marked health inequi.
Between 2001 and 2011, namibia has recorded a 41percentage point reduction in absolute poverty from high level of 37. Stratification involves inequalities between groups in the distribution of socioeconomic resources such as wealth, income, status and power. So far, the main structural change in namibia has been the increase of state intervention in the economy. In the mid90s, namibia was regarded as the country with the highest levels of inequality and a gini coefficient of 0. Genderbased violence, the multiple impacts of hiv and aids on women and girls and gender inequality in political participation are manifestations of a deeplyrooted belief. Oecd ilibrary health for everyone social inequalities in. Epidemiological thinking and modes of analysis are central, but epidemiological research is one among many areas of study that provide the evidence for understanding the causes of social inequalities in. Social inequalities in environment and health tjalling leenstradce socioeconomic inequalities, related to e. Namibia is known for its extreme income inequality, which is one of the highest societal inequalities in the world despite the countrys endowment with abundant natural resources, good infrastructure, a vibrant democracy, peace and stability.
It was aimed at closing the gaps which were created by. The most privileged group forms the top layer and vice versa. Inequities in utilization of maternal health interventions in namibia. The analysis confirms tremendous inequalities in the way income and poverty is distributed. Gender is just one of many inequalities that generate poverty. Oecd ilibrary health for everyone social inequalities. Social determinants of health inequalities michael marmot the gross inequalities in health that we see within and between countries present a challenge to the world.
Socioeconomic inequalities in child vaccination in low. The growing global interest in the social determinants of health provides an opportunity for determined action on unacceptable and unjust health inequalities that exist within and between countries. Social inequalities in health national institutes of health. The report recognizes the immense levels of inequality that existed at.
The apparent imbalance between namibias high income and simultaneous extreme prevalence of poverty can be traced to enduring income inequalities. Explaining the role of the social determinants of health. Social inequalities in health national institutes of. In terms of pathways from income inequality to health, it has been suggested that more generous welfare regimes, public spending e. Health inequities, social determinants, and intersectionality. Health inequalities are avoidable because they are rooted in political and social decisions. Namibia herbert jauch recommended citation jauch, herbert 2012, poverty, unemployment and inequality in namibia temti series of economic. Almost twenty years have passed since namibia became. Health inequalities and the social determinants of health.
Gender is just one of many inequalities that generate. The contrast between the visible wealth of elites and the daily misery of most ordinary. The report makes a strong case for addressing health related inequalities as a key component of a policy strategy to promote inclusive growth and reduce social inequalities. Data and research on health including biotechnology, cancer, health care, health spending, health insurance, fitness, dementia, disability, obesity, smoking, genetics and mortality. Can social inclusion policies reduce health inequalities in. There is increasing recognition that social protection must be linked to sustainable development goals and more specifically to efforts aimed at reducing poverty. Eslavaschmalbach and others published social inequalities in maternal health find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Socioeconomicrelated health inequality in south africa. Now we have a second edition of their book, with chapters added on racialethnic inequalities in. In 2007, the leftcentre coalition government, formed in 2005, launched the norwegian strategy to reduce social inequalities in health report no. Spending on education, health, and other social programs is large. With poverty delineated along functional groups and by urbanrural dualism, social cohesion is still a highly sensitive issue.
Significant disparities in social and physical living conditions fuels health inequality in namibia. Pdf in this paper a national income poverty line for namibia is derived based. Namibia is one of those countries with high levels of inequality in. Michael marmot and richard wilkinsons publication in 1999 of their edited volume entitled social determinants of health was an early attempt to bring together much of the information on the broad footprint of the social environment on health. The case studies present successful examples of policy action aiming to reduce health inequities, covering a wide range of issues, including conditional cash transfers, genderbased violence, tuberculosis programmes and maternal and. The development of society, rich or poor, can be judged by the quality of its populations health, how fairly health is distributed across the social spectrum, and the degree of protection provided from disadvantage as a result of. Namibias legislation combating of domestic violence act, the combating of rape act and the childrens act has been cited internationally as progressive in protecting women and children. Who world conference on social determinants of health. Gender inequality 4 aggressive than women and, on average, have stronger instinctual proclivities to dominate, and that woman because of genes and hormones are on average more nurturant and have stronger dispositions to engage in. Africa on the continent, when it comes to expenditure on health world bank 2006. Social inequalities in health goldman 2001 annals of. Inequality grew dramatically in the 1980s and has remained at a. This is reflected, for example, in the gendered impact of hivaids, which is still a major scourge in.
Social protection in namibia a civil society perspective iii i foreword there are paradigm shifts in the way social protection is seen in the world, particularly in africa. Republic of namibia ministry of health and social services. Inequalities in health have received considerable attention from health scientists and economists. Republic of namibia national gender policy 2010 2020 ministry of gender equality and child welfare mgecw windhoek, namibia. Three categories of explanations for the observed patterns have been proposed. President of the republic of namibia of the war on poverty. While health systems, together with the wider social determinants of health, are relevant in seeking to improve health. Namibia should not celebrate but criticise the news that the countrys housing market recorded the second highest price increase in the world, second only to. Attention should also be paid to equity in benefits from government expenditure. Available evidence indicates that this relationship is characterized by a vicious. The norwegian strategy for reducing health inequalities.
In order for people to maintain their health and systems of production, it is. The ministry of health and social services mohss aims at promoting. Poverty in namibia, however, is still prevalent, and the country is rife with extreme wealth imbalances. Social inequalities in health and health systems good health is a key component of peoples wellbeing. The apparent imbalance between namibia s high income and simultaneous extreme prevalence of poverty can be traced to enduring income inequalities. The three issues most critical to namibias women and girls are fundamental to the countrys achievement of the mdgs and vision 2030 goals. There has been a heightened concern for socioeconomic inequalities in health and access to health care and the social determinants of health.
Gender is just one of a multiplicity of inequalities that combine to form the patterns of poverty and exclusion that we see in the world today. The first national gender policy was compiled and adopted in 1997. The social definitions of what it means to be male or female vary among cultures and change over time. Inequality and poverty endangers social harmony, peace. Republic of namibia national gender policy 20082018. The namibia ministry of health and social services mohss. Can social inclusion policies reduce health inequalities. Commission on environmental, economic and social policies ceesp. In the most affluent areas of scotland, men experience 23. Health for everyone social inequalities in health and. Poverty, unemployment and inequality in namibia iucn. Behavioral and social sciences research lecture series. Nov 10, 2011 inequalities in health have received considerable attention from health scientists and economists.
It also provides a framework for more in depth analyses on how to address these inequalities at country level. Social determinants have a profound influence on health inequality and should receive due consideration when developing health policy 1, 2. Pdf income poverty and inequality in namibia researchgate. The tax structure looks reasonably good on paper but in practice, much of the progressive tax is not collected. Differentials in health and longevity by socioeconomic status and by the nature of social relationships have been found in innumerable studies in the social and medical sciences. The overwhelming evidence on socioeconomic inequalities in health and health care has led to renewed interest globally and nationally to. Epidemiological thinking and modes of analysis are central, but epidemiological research is one among many areas of study that provide the evidence for understanding the causes of social inequalities in health and what can be done to reduce them. Jul 19, 2017 government spending on health, education and social protection is woefully low. Mar 09, 2012 gender is just one of a multiplicity of inequalities that combine to form the patterns of poverty and exclusion that we see in the world today.
1264 912 746 687 317 1210 31 301 1025 1279 935 673 661 234 320 183 598 47 1027 1097 1220 732 1023 808 1528 775 598 1522 561 1318 150 1479 1267 997 33 242 1414 467 1097 1384 535 43 595 451