Putting gender into health and globalisation debates: New perspectives and old challenges

Abstract

Debates continue about the impact of globalisation on human wellbeing. However, they are often based on little empirical evidence. This is not surprising, given the contested nature of the term 'globalisation' itself, the different ways in which health and well-being can be measured and the diversity of globalising trends in different parts of the world. The aim of this paper is to clarify some of these issues by looking at the recent experiences of women across a variety of social settings. It will begin with the development of a gender-neutral framework for analysing the links between globalisation and health. This will be followed by a more detailed examination of how sex and gender have shaped women's experiences of global change in ways that have been hazardous to the health of many of the most vulnerable. It will go on to identify the opportunities for improvement that these same changes have opened up and will conclude by discussing the ways in which many women are using these opportunities to reshape their lives in healthier ways.