Sex and Gender Dimensions of Neglected Tropical Diseases in Women's Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Abstract
With over a billion people infected worldwide, neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are so named not just because of inadequate research and resources but also because of the populations they infect. These are often the poorest of the poor, living on less than US$2 a day. NTDs cripple the poor through social and economic oppression, creating a vicious cycle of neglect. As a particularly vulnerable population, women (both as a sex and as a gender) have distinct challenges. While these diseases have a physical impact on a woman’s body, their roles and expectations within a society can further exacerbate the burden of NTDs. With proposals focused on human rights and the Millennium Development Goals, the cycle of neglect can be broken through empowering women medically, politically, economically, and socially. This project presents an analysis of the literature regarding the relationship of women, poverty, and neglected tropical diseases.