Background
Health systems frequently mirror power asymmetries and social axes of discrimination which contribute to health inequities and gender inequalities. Whilst not new, calls to address these imbalances have increased in frequency and fervour, notably in calls to decolonise global health and to integrate transformative social justice approaches that tackle colonial, patriarchal, and oppressive power structures, such as feminist principles rooted in intersectionality and equity. Guided by these principles, over the past five years, the United Nations University's International Institute for Global Health has been engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to both stimulate discussion and catalyse action, building up a body of work, refining methodologies, and cultivating networks of aligned actors. Recognising the need not to silo efforts into individual projects, the Institute’s recently launched 2024-2028 strategic plan, Addressing Inequalities in Health, embeds five conceptual and analytical lenses, including decoloniality, intersectionality, and feminism, across its work packages, providing a strong underpinning for this working paper series.
Series Description
As global commitments to achieve gender equality and substantially improve health by 2030 meet with strong resistance from the effects of polycrises and a rising global tide against women’s rights and gender equality, the time is right to identify appropriate and effective solutions to catalyse and sustain gender-responsive change within systems and sectors. Given that health equity is only partially driven by the activities of the health system, and health systems, intentionally and unintentionally, reproduce gender inequalities, we need further sharing of evidence to deepen our understanding and address the impact of gender inequalities in health systems.
UNU-IIGH engaged with researchers and experts in gender and global health from the Global South to compile, review and self-publish a series on advancing gender equality in health. Recognising the pioneering work of feminist researchers and activists spanning many decades, the series seeks to both challenge and strengthen the evidence-to-policy process by unsettling the status quo within knowledge production and expanding space for crucial conversations. To that end, the series aims to:
Broaden notions of expertise, exploring who we consider an expert (voice) and what we consider evidence with respect to evidence-informed health policy and decision making.
Present lessons from promising gender-responsive government health programmes and policies to present clear evidence of "what works" drawing on examples from cross-sector initiatives to achieve both gender equality and health equity.
Explore the contours of possible health systems of our futures and what actions we’d need to collectively take to realise health systems that promote health equity and gender equality.
Series Overview
These are the series titles along with their contexts:
Section 1: Expanding Voices for Change
- Too young to know? Challenging Colonial Constructs of Expertise at the Intersection of Gender and Youth – Kenya, Lebanon, Uganda
- Deride, Dismiss, Devalue, Destroy: Challenging Colonial Constructs of Expertise at the Intersection of Gender and Indigeneity – Global, Peru, Nepal
Section 2: Expanding Evidence for Change
- Meeting the Healthcare Needs of the Transgender Community: The Gender Guidance Clinics of Tamil Nadu (India) -- India
- Integrating Men into Reproductive Health: The École des Maris Programme in the Republic of the Niger – Niger
- Gender Integration in Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (Republic of the Philippines) – Philippines
- Gender-Based Violence Service Provision in the Primary Healthcare System in Ethiopia – Ethiopia
- Gender Integration in Medical Education in Maharashtra and Other States (India) -- India
- Right to Safe Abortion in Nepal – Nepal
Section 3: Time Horizons for Change (Coming April 9)
- Enabling Environments to Advance Gender Equality in Health – Global
- The Future of Funding – Global
- Reclaiming Power: Collective Action for Gender Equality and Health Equity – Global
Launch Events
We are excited to announce the launch of this series through the following events:
In-Person Launch: 9 April 2025
