World Health Organization WHO Gender Policy

Background of WHO  United Nations agency for health  Established 1948  Geneva, Switzerland  Governed by 193 member states  Regional and country offices  Dr Anders Nordstrom (DG)  United Nations agency for health  Established 1948  Geneva, Switzerland  Governed by 193 member states  Regional and country offices  Dr Anders Nordstrom (DG)

WHO Gender Policy (2002)  Integrate gender considerations into all facets of its work  Headquarters  Regions  Country offices  Gender mainstreaming as standard practice  All policies and programs  Senior management to ensure implementation  Gender and Women’s Health Department  Integrate gender considerations into all facets of its work  Headquarters  Regions  Country offices  Gender mainstreaming as standard practice  All policies and programs  Senior management to ensure implementation  Gender and Women’s Health Department

Background & Rationale for WHO Gender Policy  Differences in factors that determine health and burden of ill-health for women and men  Long been overlooked  Gender roles & unequal gender relations key  Interact with other social and economic variables  Result: different & inequitable patterns  health risk  access to and utilization of health information  Access to care and services  Differences in factors that determine health and burden of ill-health for women and men  Long been overlooked  Gender roles & unequal gender relations key  Interact with other social and economic variables  Result: different & inequitable patterns  health risk  access to and utilization of health information  Access to care and services

Gender Mainstreaming in Health Care Systems  Goal: ensure that health care systems respond adequately to gender inequality  “Adding in” a gender component late in a project  Simply not enough  Gender must be a key component from the beginning  Goal: ensure that health care systems respond adequately to gender inequality  “Adding in” a gender component late in a project  Simply not enough  Gender must be a key component from the beginning

Gender from the Beginning  Aspects in which gender must be addressed  research  interventions  health system reforms  health education  health outreach  health policies and programs  Gender Mainstreaming is key  Aspects in which gender must be addressed  research  interventions  health system reforms  health education  health outreach  health policies and programs  Gender Mainstreaming is key

Objectives  The attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health  Defines health as a state of complete well- being  Physical  Mental  Social  Not merely the absence of disease or infirmity  The attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health  Defines health as a state of complete well- being  Physical  Mental  Social  Not merely the absence of disease or infirmity

Goal: Planning, Implementation, Monitoring, & Evaluation  Improving interventions  Effectiveness and efficiency  Promote equity and equality between men & women  Provide information about the influence of gender on health and health care  Qualitative & quantitative  Create gender responsive policies  Implementation and evaluation of policies & projects  Improving interventions  Effectiveness and efficiency  Promote equity and equality between men & women  Provide information about the influence of gender on health and health care  Qualitative & quantitative  Create gender responsive policies  Implementation and evaluation of policies & projects

Assess Gender Differences & Their Impact On:  Protective & risk factors  Access to health-related resources  Information, education, technology  Social and cultural conditions of disease  Response of health systems & services  Roles of men and women as health care providers  Formal and informal  Protective & risk factors  Access to health-related resources  Information, education, technology  Social and cultural conditions of disease  Response of health systems & services  Roles of men and women as health care providers  Formal and informal

Integrating Gender Perspectives into the Work of the WHO  Requires commitment of all WHO staff  Applies to all aspects & projects of WHO  Research  Program planning  Implementation  Monitoring  Evaluation  Human resource management  Budgeting  Technical cooperation activities with countries  Requires commitment of all WHO staff  Applies to all aspects & projects of WHO  Research  Program planning  Implementation  Monitoring  Evaluation  Human resource management  Budgeting  Technical cooperation activities with countries

Gender Unit of WHO: Ensuring Implementation  Collaboration with other departments & regional offices  Collect disaggregated data by sex  Review gender aspects of specific areas  Initiate work to develop content-specific materials for training  Collaboration with other departments & regional offices  Collect disaggregated data by sex  Review gender aspects of specific areas  Initiate work to develop content-specific materials for training

Task Force  Appointment of senior level Task Force to facilitate and support implementation of gender  Task Force reports progress made by regional and country offices directly to Director General  Appointment of senior level Task Force to facilitate and support implementation of gender  Task Force reports progress made by regional and country offices directly to Director General

Desired Results  Addressing gender issues for improvements  Coverage  Effectiveness  Efficiency  Impact of health interventions for women & men  Improved health contributes to achievement of broader UN goals  Social justice  Gender equality  Addressing gender issues for improvements  Coverage  Effectiveness  Efficiency  Impact of health interventions for women & men  Improved health contributes to achievement of broader UN goals  Social justice  Gender equality

Gender Equality within WHO  Committed to bridging the gender gap by the end of 2010  Own workforce  Internal taskforces  Scientific & technical advisory bodies  Temporary advisors & consultants  Especially academics  Committed to bridging the gender gap by the end of 2010  Own workforce  Internal taskforces  Scientific & technical advisory bodies  Temporary advisors & consultants  Especially academics

Six Regional Offices  Americas -- Washington, D.C  Africa -- Brazzaville  Eastern Mediterranean -- Cairo  Europe -- Copenhagen  South East Asia -- New Delhi  Western Pacific -- Manila

Regional Initiatives  Incorporating gender perspectives through training courses for health professionals  Sample courses:  Integrating Gender into Medical Education  Transforming Health Systems: Integrating Gender and Rights in Reproductive Health  Incorporating gender perspectives through training courses for health professionals  Sample courses:  Integrating Gender into Medical Education  Transforming Health Systems: Integrating Gender and Rights in Reproductive Health

Regional Initiatives  Intended to support country priorities  Examples:  Strengthening health sector responses to gender-based violence in SE Asia  Measuring & monitoring gender equity in health  Sex-disaggregated health statistics  Gender and Women’s Health Unit for support in developing and implementation of indicators  Intended to support country priorities  Examples:  Strengthening health sector responses to gender-based violence in SE Asia  Measuring & monitoring gender equity in health  Sex-disaggregated health statistics  Gender and Women’s Health Unit for support in developing and implementation of indicators