The UN’s sustainable development goals 3 and 5 in the United States of America: access to culturally competent healthcare for Arab Muslim women in the US: an intersectional approach

Abstract

Treball guanyador del segon premi del 2025 en Benestar Planetari convocat conjuntament per la UPF, la UPF-BSM i la càtedra UNESCO de Cicle de Vida i Canvi Climàtic ESCI-UPF, al millors treballs de fi de grau (TFG) sobre temes de Benestar Planetari.

Bachelor's degree in Global Studies. Curs 2024-2025

Tutor: Antoni Luna Garcia

This dissertation investigates the barriers to accessing quality, culturally competent healthcare for Arab Muslim women in the United States. Positioned at the intersection of ethnicity, religion, and gender, these women face unique challenges shaped by both internal factors, such as cultural and religious norms, modesty concerns, and familial roles, and external factors, including Islamophobia, discrimination, sexism, and systemic gaps in healthcare provision. The United States is a pluralistic nation where various cultures coexist; however, disparities persist among them. The increasing Muslim population in the United States necessitates a nuanced understanding of their healthcare needs, particularly among subgroups like Arab Muslim women facing unique challenges. They remain underrepresented in health research and invisible in national data sets. Employing intersectionality and cultural competence frameworks, the study analyzes how overlapping systems of oppression exacerbate health disparities for this demographic. The work is situated within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and critically evaluates the United States' progress in meeting these goals. Through a review of literature, analysis of policy, and incorporation of expert insights, the research reveals significant shortcomings in the U.S. healthcare system and highlights the urgent need for culturally sensitive and gendered interventions. Questions of health are inseparable from questions of culture and gender when it comes to successfully implementing the right policies; hence, it is imperative to evaluate them together within the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and its principle of “Leave No One Behind”. Addressing the specific needs of Arab Muslim women is essential for promoting genuine health and gender equity and ensuring that, indeed, no one is left behind in the quest for universal access to quality healthcare.