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The long-term goal is to achieve global gender equity in the use of eye care services and service outcomes. There is good evidence that in most developing countries, women are less likely to receive eye care services than men, particularly services that will prevent or treat blinding conditions. Added to the fact that women comprise more than half of the elderly population, and that the natural incidence of some blinding diseases (cataract and trachoma) is higher among women than men, this results in a situation where women account for 60-65 per cent of blind people worldwide. While there have been some successful programmes to improve gender equity in eye care, a more systematic approach needs to be adopted