World Health Organization

Human Rights and Gender Equality in Health Sector Strategies: How to Assess Policy Coherence World Health Organization Spi edition

The overall aim of the tool is to enhance coherence between international obligations and commitments on human rights and gender equality, the national legal, policy and insitutional frameworks, and their application in health sector strategies. The specific objectives of the tool are to: assess the extent to which health sector strategies are consistent with, and promote, human rights standards and principles, including gender equality; identify gender equality and human rights-related gaps and opportunities with respect to national commitments and health sector strategies, in order to facilitate effective and strategic health sector interventions; adn generate a multi-stakeholder process and dialogue to address human rights and gender equality in relation to health.

The target audience of the tool comprises the various actors involved in health planning and policy-making, implementation or monitoring of health sector strategies. This includes health policy-makers and planners, national human rights institutions, development partners and civil society organizations. Its use will vary depending on the specific context and focus of the assessment exercise.