Gender, Health, and Development in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2019

Abstract

This is the eighth edition of the statistical brochure on Gender, Health, and Development in the Americas: Basic Indicators 2019. The usefulness of this brochure is widely recognized by various audiences throughout the Region of the Americas. The first step towards achieving gender equality is understanding the differences in the living and working conditions among men and women, as well as the risk factors and vulnerabilities that influence health outcomes. Additionally, in order to meet the targets set by the Sustainable Development Goals, countries should collect data to show the inequalities between diverse groups of men and women, identifying the most disadvantaged population groups and ensuring that no one is left behind. While countries of the Americas have taken significant strides in disaggregating health data by sex and age, additional efforts are still needed to include ethnic variables into health registries. This compendium of indicators illustrates the differences in health between men and women and, in the social, economic, and environmental determinants. It highlights once again the importance of continuing to collect disaggregated data to conduct gender-based analysis in order to determine, address, reduce, and eliminate the causes of gender-related inequalities.