Dr Senait Fisseha and Mikaela Hildebrand on the SDG3 Action Plan: an opportunity to close the gender gap

Toxic masculinity: a poor excuse for poor global health? Writing in the BMJ Global Health blog, GH5050 Advisor Dr Senait Fisseha and Head of Strategic Directions Mikaela Hildebrand argue that the Action Plan offers a pivotal moment to incorporate gender into the global health agenda and close the gender gap. However, to do so the Agenda needs to conceptually and programmatically understand gender. This means embracing an understanding of gender that goes beyond just a women’s empowerment agenda, to understand gender as one of the most significant social determinants of health for everyone – women, men, boys, girls and people with non-binary identities.

Gender is among the most significant social determinants of health outcomes. Allowing boys to be boys at the expense of sound, gender-responsive global health policy is no longer an option. The Global Action Plan offers an opportunity to set things right . It is important to get gender into the global health and rights agenda in the true sense of the term.

Read the full article in the BMJ Global Health Blog here.