By 2020, more than two-thirds of women will be over the age of 40.
According to a new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), there are currently around 11.7 million women aged 40 and above living in the country.
The report highlights the need to modernise the way women’s fashion is produced and the needs of young women who are struggling with issues such as mental health, depression and body image.
Read more: The UNDP report says that women in India and Bangladesh have the lowest access to the right information about health and health care, which can be a barrier to health care and access to healthcare.
“Women in these two countries face huge obstacles to accessing modern healthcare and the quality of care is not reflected in the statistics,” said Dr. Karim Al-Omer, the UNDP’s Senior Country Representative on Women’s Health.
“We must ensure that women have access to information and resources on health and wellbeing and access the right health care services, including antenatal care, primary health care facilities and health clinics.”
The UNEP report focuses on India and the neighbouring Bangladesh, two countries where women make up around 75% of the population and are still far behind in the world in terms of access to modern health care.
It says that in Bangladesh, only 10% of primary health facilities and one-third of antenatal services are fully modernised.
Bangladesh, like India, also lacks an inclusive healthcare system.
In India, the report found that women make only 16% of all medical appointments and almost 80% of maternal and child health services are not accessible to women.
“These statistics are alarming as they show that women are still struggling with health issues and lack access to access to basic healthcare services,” Al-Obmer said.
“Access to healthcare is essential for women to achieve the health and quality of life they deserve.”
A recent study by the World Health Organization found that only 4.7% of Bangladeshis aged 15-64 are enrolled in the national health insurance scheme.
According a World Health Organisation report, women in Bangladesh make up only 8% of women employed, and have only 18% of tertiary education.
“Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the region and has an endemic gender gap in health, which means that many of the most vulnerable women and girls remain at risk of poverty and disease,” said UNDP Senior Country Adviser Ajaa Ibrahim.
“The lack of access and accessibility to basic health care can lead to poor health outcomes for women and contribute to higher levels of chronic diseases.”
Ajaas report also highlighted that there are still only 2,500 antenatal clinics in Bangladesh and women are often excluded from their antenatal visits.
The UN report said that “unprecedented levels of gender inequality in healthcare and social inclusion are holding back women’s empowerment, contributing to the health inequalities we face globally.”
The report also highlights that women’s health and well-being is often overlooked by the media and governments.
“Our work highlights the importance of ensuring the right and timely access to health services for women.
The media often portrays women in an unrealistic and stereotypically feminine light, and there is an inherent lack of knowledge of women’s needs and opportunities,” Al Obmer said, adding that “women’s health is still an under-covered and under-discussed issue.”