Prioritizing gender equity and intersectionality in Canadian global health institutions and partnerships

Abstract

Despite governmental efforts to close the gender gap and global calls including Sustainable Development Goal 5 to promote gender equality, the sobering reality is that gender inequities continue to persist in Canadian global health institutions. Moreover, from health to the economy, security to social protection, COVID-19 has exposed and heightened pre-existing inequities, with women, especially marginalized women, being disproportionately impacted. Women, particularly women who face bias along multiple identity dimensions, continue to be at risk of being excluded or delegitimized as participants in the global health workforce and continue to face barriers in career advancement to leadership, management and governance positions in Canada. These inequities have downstream effects on the policies and programmes, including global health efforts intended to support equitable partnerships with colleagues in low- and middle- income countries. We review current institutional gender inequities in Canadian global health research, policy and practice and by extension, our global partnerships. Informed by this review, we offer four priority actions for institutional leaders and managers to gender-transform Canadian global health institutions to accompany both the immediate response and longer-term recovery efforts of COVID-19. In particular, we call for the need for tracking indicators of gender parity within and across our institutions and in global health research (e.g., representation and participation, pay, promotions, training opportunities, unpaid care work), accountability and progressive action.

Equity and gender mainstreaming in public policy: A scoping review protocol

“…We will generate findings to inform government efforts to initiate, sustain, and improve gender and equity mainstreaming approaches in policymaking. This is important given persistent gender inequities and the lack of attention to these inequities, notably even in institutions focused on global health, many of which have a central focus in mitigating inequities [21]. And similarly, that the learnings can be applied to multisectoral policy approaches that incorporate or center around health equity, including the Health in All Policies approach and Healthy Cities [22].…”

“…Heightened interest in health equity in recent decades has led to investigations into health equity [1][2][3][4][5][6] and the uptake of key concepts, including the original Dahlgren-Whitehead rainbow model receiving "worldwide acclaim" [7]. This model, focused on the determinants of health, has been drawn upon in numerous reports focused on health inequalities and has been helpful for policymakers operating outside of the health sector to understand their role in health and health inequities and allowing them to take ownership and responsibility to accordingly act [7].…”

Decolonizing global health: A scoping review protocol

“…We anticipate the findings from the scoping review will bring clarity to mainstream discussions around decolonizing global health, in terms of meaning(s), gaps, and possible actions. Ultimately, this work contributes to reducing persistent inequities globally, which has been afforded much needed attention in global health (Amri et al, 2023;Amri, 2021;Amri, O'Campo, et al, 2022;Amri et al, 2020;Amri, Jessiman-Perreault, et al, 2021;Carducci et al, 2022), particularly as inequities have become more readily apparent due to the COVID-19 pandemic (Amri & Drummond, 2021;Amri & Logan, 2021).…”

Conceptual approaches in combating health inequity: A scoping review protocol

“…such as clinicians working on poverty screening [27]; organizational efforts, particularly in light of the persistence of inequities in global health institutions [28]; and others. This work is not only unique, it is particularly timely given COVID-19, where there has been a call for focusing on achieving equitable outcomes instead of cutting spending [29] and observations that the pandemic may afford an opportunity to refocus on the social determinants of health and health equity [30].…”