DAWN Ontario: DisAbled Women's Network Ontario


Poverty is Hazardous to Women's Health

Everyone knows that Poverty is an important SOCIAL ISSUE

- but what many people don't realize is that Women living in poverty are more likely to be sick and to die sooner.

There are some things most of us take for granted:

  • affordable housing

  • nutritional food

  • regular exercise

  • safe neighbourhoods

  • and the ability to pay for required medicine

- but for Women who are poor, these things are often out of reach.

        "At each rung up the income ladder,
               Canadians have less sickness,
    longer life expectancies
                       and improved health."1

1. Federal, Provincial and Territorial Advisory Committee on Population Health Toward a Healthy Future, Second Report on the Health of Canadians, for the Meeting of Ministers of Health of Canadians, for the Meeting of Ministers of Health, Charlottetown, PEI, September 1999, ix Executive Summary



Here's What We Can Do Together to Improve the Health of Low Income Women:

  • provide low income workers with dental and prescription drug benefits

  • raise the minimum wage - substantially

  • make recreation, health information and social services accessible to all women

  • increase social assistance rates
    (in Ontario - Ontario Works and ODSP - Ontario Disability Support Program)

  • increase the number and availability of subsidized child care spaces

  • develop health services sensitive to low income women's needs

            "Sometimes               
        I have to choose       
    between paying the bills,
    putting food on the table, or buying
    my kids the winter clothes
    they need."

Read the Report

WOMEN, INCOME AND HEALTH IN MANITOBA:
An Overview and Ideas for Action

written by: Lissa Donner with contributions from: Angela Busch and Nahanni Fontaine
prepared for: Women’s Health Clinic, Winnipeg
July 2000 - Revised January 2002

Poverty is Hazardous to Women's Health Brochure - cover

 

Executive Summary

Download the pdf file (772 KB) requires Acrobat Reader

News Release - Jan.31/02

News Release - Feb.6/02

Background Information

Questions & Answers

Order form

Poverty is Hazardous to Women's Health brochure


Poverty
is hazardous to
Women's
Health
Reducing poverty improves health for everyone. Together we can do it. A message from women's health clinic www.womenshealthclinic.org


Poster Reproduced and used with permission from the
Women's Health Clinic
www.womenshealthclinic.org

WOMEN, INCOME AND HEALTH IN MANITOBA: - An Overview and Ideas for Action
written by: Lissa Donner with contributions from: Angela Busch and Nahanni Fontaine
prepared for: Women’s Health Clinic, Winnipeg
July 2000 - Revised January 2002


Visit the Feed the Kids AND Pay the Rent campaign site
and view poster and info about inadequare shelter allowances