Among the UN nations, only 11 nations had a female head of state while 12 nations had a female head of government (we suspect most of these nations are headed by - deep breath - Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of her other realms and territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith; by contrast, the head of government in a commonwealth country will usually be the Prime Minister - to continue the analogy, this would be The Right Honourable Boris Johnson MP, Prime Minister).

In Parliament (including the Singapore Parliament), women parliamentarians constitute approximately 20% of the parliament. Within the workforce, women account for less than a quarter of senior roles globally and the gender pay gap persists around the world.

There’s no denying it. Gender bias permeates through every aspect of our lives: at home and at the work place. Even in medical settings, especially when clinical judgment is involved.

For example, depression is one of the most common mental illnesses in the world, but it is almost twice as common in women than men. Women are also the single largest group of people affected by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Reasons for this gender disparity may include gender-based risk factors, such as domestic violence, socio-economic disadvantages, income disparities or inequalities, differences in social standing or empathy for others, all disproportionately affect women. Of course, other factors such as how symptoms are differently perceived and diagnosed in women and men also come into play.

Can we reduce the risk of developing mental illness in women?

Yes! Research shows that there are 3 main factors that are highly protective against the development of mental disorders (in men or women) arising from severe or traumatic events:

Ψ Having sufficient autonomy to exercise control over your actions after the event
Ψ Resources to allow the making of informed choices
Ψ Support from family, friends, and psychological support from mental health professionals

More is needed to reduce the risk of women developing mental illnesses such as depression. Changes are needed as a society to ensure that women have autonomy and equal access to resources and essential services; basically, we must improve the protective factors against the development of mental illnesses in women.

As persons – employers, co-workers, friends, or family members – we must all do our part to address personal biases, acknowledge and respect “the other half” of humanity.