Public policy in the field of women's health: challenges and implementation issues

Demographic decline, the increasing prevalence of endocrine, oncological, mental health, and reproductive disorders among women, as well as the consequences of the full-scale war in Ukraine, have intensified the need to enhance the effectiveness of citizens’ participation in the management of state and public affairs in the process of shaping public policy on women's health. In Ukraine, the legal regulation of this area remains fragmented and is predominantly focused on reproductive health, which narrows the approaches to the protection of women’s endocrine, mental, oncological, and age-related health. Aim - to identify the key challenges in the implementation of public policy on women's health; to assess their impact on the State’s fulfilment of its positive obligations to ensure accessible and high-quality healthcare for women; and to evaluate compliance with the principle of good governance in this field. The methodological framework of the study is based on interdisciplinary and complementary approaches, employing formal-legal, systemic-structural, comparative-legal, hermeneutic, and legal modelling methods. The study analyses the provisions of the Constitution of Ukraine, international human rights instruments, the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, Ukrainian legislation, official statistical data, and foreign experience in the development of women's health policies. The research identifies the key shortcomings of the Ukrainian model, including regulatory fragmentation, the predominance of a reproductive-centred approach, insufficient integration of endocrinological care, territorial inequalities in access to healthcare services, and the absence of a specialised women's health strategy. Comparative legal analysis demonstrates that effective foreign models are based on a comprehensive approach encompassing prevention, early diagnosis, gender-sensitive governance, and the participation of women in health policy-making. Conclusions. The study substantiates the necessity of transitioning from a fragmented model of public policy on women's health to a comprehensive model based on the principles of good governance, gender sensitivity, and genuine accessibility of healthcare services. The priority directions identified include: the formal recognition of women's health protection as a distinct area of public policy; the development of a National Women's Health Strategy; the integration of endocrinological and mental healthcare services; the strengthening of women's participation in decision-making processes; and ensuring the continuity of healthcare provision during martial law and post-war recovery. The author declares no conflict of interest.