Reflections on Women's Health Week

We have just completed our first-ever Women's Health Week in Aotearoa thanks to Tend Health Ltd . I have been reflecting on the significance of the week in many facets of my mahi and especially about the work we do at the Coalition to End Women’s Homelessness to advocate for better policies and funding to #endwomenshomelessness.

Being locked out of housing options has many knock-on effects on women's health.

Women experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness often lack the stability necessary for maintaining consistent healthcare and oral care, as well as proper nutrition, increasing the risk of chronic health conditions and exacerbating mental health and addiction challenges. In an environment where funding for food services has been cut and frontline social services are holding up an almost unbearable weight, a focus on the health of women - all women - is essential and reason enough for the inaugural Women's Health Week.

I have also been thinking about my own interactions with "the system" and the ways that my disability has sharpened my focus on the things that matter.

Six years ago, I went to an optometrist for the first time in a decade. My eyes had been getting itchy and I realised it had been a long time since I had a decent check-up. And it definitely wasn't conjunctivitis. although my two-year-old son was a frequent bearer of that gift.

I went in thinking I may need reading glasses and four days later was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition: Retinitis Pigmentosa. A freaky genetic outcome based on who knows what lingering presence in each of my parent's DNA.

As with most rare conditions, there are few experts and no funding, although a wonderful community advocated for by Retina New Zealand and Rare Disorders NZ.

Over time, my sight is becoming a tunnel and I continually adjust drip by drip to the new reality. As a communications professional, the narrative is being framed and reframed - but the message remains the same. I am and will live with low vision.

I no longer drive, but I love my bike and feel truly blessed to have so many safe bike tracks that I can access nearby (and my husband is sent from the heavens).

I now feel quite vulnerable and disoriented on the dark city streets that I used to feel alive in, but I am clearer on how important it is to see art and nature and continue to go to dance classes as I always have.

At some stage, I will need support from adaptive technology, but I am a digital native and have excellent technological options due to my privilege.

I have started going very slowly down steps for fear of misjudging space and depth, but frankly, I could do with taking the world a bit more slowly.

As an invisible disability, it is natural for others to underestimate it or underestimate my experiences and adjustments. I think this is an experience many women have in different stages of their lives - the feeling of something being so impactful and real, yet so easily misunderstood or dismissed by others. Menopause being one we are talking about more often, thankfully, although we still have a long way to go to create menopause-friendly workplaces. Post-partum complications being another - something that so many experience yet is still so unique and so taboo. Imagine if we could talk openly about how debilitating bleeding and prolapses are?

As this Women's Health Week comes to a close, I am committing to be more mindful of what may be invisible to others and never to assume.

I am also committing to shining light on the outstanding mahi of those individuals, organisations, and businesses advocating for our disabled communities, including:

• Arts Access Aotearoa - the brilliant organisation that I am privileged to Chair, advocating for D/deaf and disabled artists and audiences.
• Disabled Persons Assembly NZ - DPA
• ADAPT Housing
• New Zealand Disability Support Network
• @VisAble trust - a newly established organisation with a mission to make violence against disabled people visible, while enabling a more disability-responsive family violence and sexual violence system.?
• All is for All - putting disabled people front and centre.
• Erin Gough - human rights advocate and fiercely intelligent policy brain.
• Donald Beasley Institute - the Dunedin-based disability and research education institute. Please check out their current work developing a twin-track response to family and sexual violence against wāhine whaikaha, D/deaf, and disabled women.
• Huhana Hickey MNZM PHD - who gave a talk at last year's National Māori Housing Conference that I have never forgotten. The intersectionalities for wāhine are profound and require deep reflection and collective action.

Ultimately, the last six years have sharpened my focus on the things that matter. And there can be very little that matters more than honouring the health and wellbeing of women: te whare tangata, the house of humanity.