Societies give different cultural meanings to being male and being female. This gender differentiation functions as an organizing principle for communities. An example is the division of labor between men & women. This clear division is seen both in the homes and in the wider communities. “While the specific nature of gender relations varies among societies, the general pattern is that women have less personal autonomy, fewer resources at their disposal, and limited influence over the decision-making processes that shape their societies and their own lives. That said, women have lower mortality rates than men, longer life expectancy and greater morbidity.

1. This week, pick one of the five points presented in the article: How gender influences health inequalities.pdf .
   1. Women have lower mortality rates than men, longer life expectancy, greater mobility and are over represented in health statistics
   2. Some health problems are more commonly associated with one gender than the other
   3. Sociological factors are as important as biology for determining gender related health inequalities
   4. Women’s natural reproductive function has increasingly been medicalized, leading to increased need for health care
   5. Expectations of how men and women should behave are based on social constructs and have an impact on health
2. Research gender and its influence on health related to your selected point in a low or middle income country and compare the differences/similarities with women in Ethiopia as portrayed in “Cutting for Stone”.
3. The minimum number of word for this assignment is 700
4. Cite all sources of information or data that are not your own using APA style.