Gender-Equitable Families and Health Systems are Better for Children
Essential medicines, vaccines, hygiene, education, and adequate nutrition: these are the tools you might typically associate with child health.
But health interventions and behaviors are only as effective as the hands that deliver them.
Whether a child grows up healthy is largely dependent on the adults in their lives. Family members and healthcare workers play the leading role, and each is a part of cultures and systems that can help or hinder health.
Gender inequity is too often among the family and healthcare dynamics that have long-term health implications for children as they grow up:
- Within families, the physical, emotional, and financial health of women – mothers in particular – are inextricably linked to the health and well-being of children. Fathers, too, play a key role in whether a child has access to healthcare and opportunities.
- Achieving gender equity that facilitates health works best as a collective partnership between family members, communities, and health systems. It starts with putting the mother and child at the center and prioritize health at home and in the clinic – from support of breastfeeding to safe, hygienic, family-friendly primary healthcare access. Everybody plays a part.
View and share the resources below to join the conversation about how gender equity improves child health outcomes.