Seven Documentaries On Women’s Health: Have You Seen Them Yet?

The world has seen a rise in conversations about gender equality more than ever, and representation of women’s health in the mainstream media is also increasing. Regardless of whether you want to educate yourself or watch something worthwhile, more than just entertaining yourself, there are a lot of options to choose from with various OTT platforms.

Documentaries are a powerful medium to share untold stories and to give you a new perspective on Women's Health. Here are seven compelling documentaries that delve into various aspects of women's health.

Here are seven documentaries on women's health to watch.

Trapped

In the wake of 2016 TRAP laws, against abortions Trapped captures the perspective of writers who perform abortions in some states of the US. Focusing mainly on the south of the United States where the laws were strictly enforced, the film sheds light on the chaos it causes, when basic rights over our bodies are taken away from women.

Directed by Dawn Porter, Trapped won a special jury social impact prize, when it premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.

Miss Representation

A documentary based on how underrepresented women are in positions of power. It sheds light on how wrongly women are portrayed in the media, it is a must-watch to learn women's plight globally. Set against the backdrop of mainstream media, and with the power, it holds over us, how women are taught to value themselves based on beauty rather than their personality and capacity outside of their looks.

Period. End of Sentence

A movie that lead to the first Iranian-American woman, Rayka Zehtabchi became the first Iranian-American woman to win an Oscar. Period, End of Sentence, set in a small village around Delhi India, explores the stigma around people and women in the area and aims to break the myths and their struggles in the journey towards a more educated self-sufficient society.

No Woman No Cry

Christy Turlington Burns in No Woman No Cry, attempts to tell the world about the importance of Planned parenting, in a docu-series that follows powerful stories of pregnant women in four parts of the world. A series based on raising awareness about pregnancy and the health conditions of mothers and how inadequate healthcare and the effects of unplanned pregnancy, even causes death in millions of women.

Hot Flash Havoc

Directed by Marc Bennet, Hot Flash Havoc focuses on breaking myths and revealing facts surrounding menopause. This docu-series also sheds light on women's health post-menopause and treatments like hormone replacement therapy and aims to destigmatize conversations around less about health conditions.

Vessel

The film follows a young doctor motivated to live at sea after discovering the harsh realities imposed by anti-abortion laws globally. Dr. Rebecca Gomperts, a Dutch physician, was driven to establish Women on Waves, an initiative offering safe medical abortion services to women in countries with restrictive abortion laws by operating on a ship in international waters.

A Path Appears

In 2009, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and his wife, Sheryl WuDunn, a best-selling author and business executive, released Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. The book, which was later adapted into a documentary series, highlighted the interconnected issues of sex trafficking, forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and maternal mortality.

The book delves into the art and science of philanthropy, highlighting successful initiatives both locally and globally. Meanwhile, the series exposes some of the most severe instances of gender-based violence and human rights abuses in countries like Colombia, Haiti, Kenya, and across the United States.