Applying a gender lens to global health and well-being: Framing a Journal of Global Health special collection

Abstract

Women' s equality and empowerment is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and addressing harmful gender norms for both males and females is integral to all dimensions of inclusive and sustainable development. In order to have truly sustainable development and health, the global community needs to create programmes and policies that seek to transform restrictive gender norms and promote equality. Despite the growing body of literature that illustrates the degree to which gender norms significantly impact all pathways to well-being, there is a need for greater coordination and collaboration of gendered intervention work across the development community. To accurately understand the multidimensional ways in which gendered systems influence the pathways to achieving the SDGs, there needs to be substantially greater investment in gender-focused research, policy development, and action.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Clinical Care of Patients and Psychosocial Health of Affected Families with Chronic Granulomatous Disease: an Observational Study from North India

“…This is in contrast to Western literature where mothers with children who had IEIs were noted to have more psychological distress [ 9 , 11 ]. This may partially be explained by the fact that in Asian (including Indian subcontinent) culture, fathers are the primary breadwinners and contribute to decisions that determine the health and other socio-economic parameters of a family [ 47 – 49 ]. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic heralded unanticipated “lockdowns” and subsequent restriction of earning opportunities, and further compounded the psychological distress of caregivers, especially fathers [ 7 ].…”

Healthcare Students’ and Educators’ Views on the Integration of Gender-Based Violence Education into the Curriculum: a Qualitative Inquiry in Three Countries

“…Given our study's GBV focus and our mixed gender sample, we chose to apply a gendered lens to our data. This involved bringing certain assumptions to the forefront of analysis: (1) gender is a social construct, (2) traditional gender norms result in power imbalances, and (3) expression of gender and attitudes towards traditional gender norms are highly context-dependent (Stark et al, 2020). An advantage of our international sample was that it allowed us to draw comparisons between the role of local socio-political contexts in shaping participants' views.…”

Dismantling Inequities in Adolescent and Young Adult Health through a Sexual and Reproductive Health Justice Approach

“…Extrinsically, gender norms are constructed beliefs or expectations about how a "young man" or "boy" or "young woman" or "girl" should act or present. 19 Gender norms ascribe societal value to what it means to be masculine, feminine, or somewhere along the spectrum. This varies in different contexts and is externally viewed through gender expression or self-presentation.…”