The Indian Women's Health Charter, March 2007

The following declaration was proposed and adopted by participants on the third day of the
'National Dialogue: Women, Health and Development' held at Mumbai, 23-25 November
2006. At the same time, the participants were part of the process of drafting and debating the
Indian Women's Health Charter, and so we include the declaration in this document.

DECLARATION

We the participants in the National Dialogue: Women, Health and Development, and
as women of India, declare and affirm the following:

1. The right to health and health care are basic human rights. All health related policies must be gender-just, holistic and equitable. Comprehensive health services must be universally available and accessible irrespective of people's ability to pay, without stigma or discrimination and should accommodate the requirements of people with special needs.

2. Women's health must not be relegated to maternity as their concerns transcend
reproduction and the reproductive age. Women's occupational health needs to be
given importance, and mental health should become a cross-cutting theme in all
health care programmes. Expensive vertical programmes that hamper the
development and provision of health care for all need to give way to State-led
universal comprehensive health care to serve the needs of ALL people.

3. Freedom from violence is a human and health right of all women, especially of
women in compromised situations, such as mentally ill and disabled women.

4. Adequate budgetary allocation needs to be made by the State at the level of five
percent of GDP (as recommended by the WHO) to fulfil the health care needs of
people, especially of women and children, without regressive and socially harmful
policies that aggravate inequalities, such as fee-for-service and wasteful publicprivate
partnership (PPP).

5. Choice of health technologies needs to be appropriate and rational, based on
epidemiological need rather than on market-driven policy, so that all people's right to
access necessary technology is facilitated and fulfilled, when and if they require it.

6. Full respect and recognition is to be given to women's wisdom, traditional knowledge
and healing practices, and serious steps need to be taken to integrate the indigenous
healing systems into the public health system.

7. There must be no discrimination against any woman on the basis of gender, caste,
class, religion, ability, sexual orientation, HIV status, marital status, fertility status and
so on, in access to health care, education, employment, credit facilities, government
schemes, or in the right to use public places and facilities.

8. Women must have the right to choose and express their reproductive and sexual
rights without restriction and pressure from patriarchal norms.

9. Women have the right to access safe, effective, reversible and user-controlled
contraceptives that increase men's participation. However, we reject all coercive
population policies, whether pro- or anti-natalist.

10. Trade-related laws and patents must not restrict people’s access to essential
medicines and technologies. We say NO to patents on life forms and to corporate
monopolies on trade in biodiversity and peoples' knowledge.

11. Socially exclusive economic growth is proven to be harmful to people's health and
well-being. Similarly, military expenditures, and war, are at the cost of people’s
health.

We do not accept the State's withdrawal from providing basic facilities to
assure access to the social determinants of health - including water, food, housing,
education, employment and health services. Neither must the State turn away from its
duty towards tackling discriminatory and oppressive structures in society based on
hierarchies of caste, class and patriarchy. Nor must it shy away from the imperative to
contain the forces of fundamentalism and intolerance that impinge directly on
people's lives, human rights, security, health and livelihoods.

Considering that women suffer doubly in times of conflict and war, peace and
social justice also become essential determinants of health. Our over-riding concern
for peace and justice stems not only from their intrinsic value but also as a cherished
legacy to leave for our children and the future. The world we aspire for is free from
discrimination and prejudice, intolerance and fear, greed and domination, violence,
aggression and hatred.

Only such a world can be truly healthy.