Building a healthier Dhaka: Why understanding women’s health benefits us all

Consider this: You are spending a relaxing Friday morning in Dhaka with your family, sipping coffee in the living room, maybe making plans for the rest of the day, and exchanging anecdotes. But here's the kicker — amidst all the small talks and enlightenment in current politics, how often do discussions about health, especially women's health issues, come up? If you're like most families, probably almost never. Do not get triggered; it's not just you; it's an age-old narrative that's been quietly passed down through generations by men and women alike.

Back in the day, discussing the health issues of women was nothing short of a taboo. A serial offender would have an easier time getting a break than someone who openly discusses topics ranging from menstrual cramps to pregnancy woes. This phenomenon was not only confided within your household; it was a global one, and unfortunately, remnants of this taboo still linger in our society today.

Like many thoughts, they might cross your mind, irrespective of them being intruding. "Why should I, as a man, dive into all this?" Short and simple answer—because it matters!

It matters to your wife, who might be struggling with something she feels she cannot talk about. It matters to your sister, who could be facing health challenges she thinks you will not understand. And it matters to your mother, who perhaps never had the chance to speak openly about her health in her younger days.

Let's be candid here. The superficiality aspect of a relationship begins when we do not want to break the shell by asking uncomfortable questions and avoiding them as long as possible.

There comes a point where our female friends, wives, or sisters shut themselves up or disappear for a few days in a row without you knowing the cause. Why do they never confide in us at such a point? Unbelievably, it is because we are uncomfortable talking about female health concerns or because we do not know enough about them?

It frequently sticks out as a roadblock to the ladies in our lives being happy. It takes time to become an expert in medicine. Attending, being receptive to listening, and gaining knowledge are crucial.

Consider the power of simple gestures — asking your wife how her health check-up went and really listening to the answer, or being there for your sister as she navigates the maze of information about conditions like PCOS or endometriosis. It's about breaking the cycle and ensuring that the silence that shrouded our grandparents' generation does not carry on to our children.

Dhaka, with all its warmth and community spirit, is the perfect place to start changing narratives. The goal is to normalise conversations on women's health on par with those discussing the weather or the most recent cricket match. It is a dance worth learning, even if it may seem strange at first, like walking into a dance you do not know the steps to.

We no longer live in the past. It's time to let go of such taboos and embrace communication and comprehension. Not only is it a problem for women, but it affects families, society, and yes, even males!

So, let's set a goal for ourselves to improve. to be the males who advocate for and discuss women's health without fear. We can, after all, create a community that is stronger, healthier, and more compassionate via these open discussions. And isn't that the Dhaka that all of us aspire to live in?