Key community eye health messages

Related content

When improving access to eye care for women and girls:

● Collect and use gender-disaggregated data to monitor who is accessing services and identify gaps between women’s and men’s access.

● Consult women and girls directly through conversations or focus groups to understand the real barriers they face and design practical, culturally sensitive solutions.

● Recognise and address intersectional barriers by involving women from diverse backgrounds, including those living with disabilities, in poverty, or from minority groups.

When working with communities for solutions:

● Consult women and girls separately to understand the specific barriers they face in accessing eye care and gather honest feedback without external influence.

● Design culturally appropriate services by involving women in planning, ensuring options like flexible appointment timings, childcare support, and female health workers are available.

● Address intersectionality intentionally by recognising that factors such as age, disability, ethnicity, and poverty create additional barriers that must be considered in service design.

When working with communities for solutions:

● Train health workers in gender sensitivity to foster understanding of gender barriers and encourage supportive, inclusive practices.

● Offer women-friendly services by scheduling female-only clinics, providing female health staff, and allowing women to bring children to appointments.

● Engage men and community leaders to collaborate with male family members and community leaders, shifting cultural norms and encouraging women’s access to services.

● Emphasise the need to adapt health services to be more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that women feel comfortable and supported when accessing healthcare.