How to encourage women to prioritize their own health

Women often put their loved ones’ health needs before their own and serve as their family’s caregivers.

Women entrepreneurs, in particular, are "very concerned " should they fall ill because it means time away from their business, and if a family member becomes sick, they have to take on the caregiver role, Mary Ellen Iskenderian, president and CEO of Women's World Banking, told Devex Impact reporter Adva Saldinger.

In more than a half-dozen countries, Women's World Banking is working with local organizations to address this concern. Through health microinsurance, women can receive per diem by providing proof of hospital stay, whether for themselves or family members.

Iskenderian described the innovative initiative as "phenomenally successful," with close to 200,000 families in Jordan enrolled in health microinsurance.

"Fully half of the claims have been for complications in pregnancy, so you're seeing attended births going up, we're seeing women taking advantage of this product in that moment when they are prioritizing their own health," Iskenderian said.

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