Multidimensional Health of Women in WAEMU Countries: Key Determinants and Policy Insights

Abstract

Women’s health is a key driver of sustainable growth in WAEMU countries due to its direct and indirect effects on child and household well-being. This paper analyzed women’s multidimensional health deprivation in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Senegal using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data. A composite health index is constructed based on the Alkire-Foster methodology and Multiple Correspondence Analysis, and estimated through a Probit model. Results reveal substantial heterogeneity across countries, with higher deprivation in Benin and Mali. Education, household wealth, age, contraceptive prevalence, and the regional health context emerge as key determinants. The findings call for context-specific health policies that reduce geographic inequalities, strengthen access to reproductive healthcare, and promote women’s empowerment.