Introduction to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI): Difference between revisions

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<div class="editorbox"> '''Original Editor '''- [[User:Robin Tacchetti]] based on the course by [https://members.physio-pedia.com/course_tutor/linda-thumba/ Linda Thumba]<br>
<div class="editorbox"> '''Original Editor '''- [[User:Robin Tacchetti]] based on the course by [https://members.physio-pedia.com/course_tutor/linda-thumba/ Linda Thumba]<br>
'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</div>
'''Top Contributors''' - {{Special:Contributors/{{FULLPAGENAME}}}}</div>This page has been created to help you understand the role Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) plays in rehabilitation.  The aim is to help clinicians feel comfortable and empowered enough to identify opportunities to integrate GESI considerations into their daily clinical practice.


== What is Gender and Social Inclusion ==
== What is Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI) ==
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) are two intertwined concepts that help improve access to goods and services for all including the poor, women and the excluded. GESI promotes inclusive policies and focuses on increasing accessibility and participation in marginalized populations.<ref>United Nations Interagency Rehabilitation Programme (UNIRP)https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Gender%20Equality%20and%20Social%20Inclusion_1.pdf</ref>  
Gender Equality and Social Inclusion are two intertwined concepts that help improve access to goods and services for all including the excluded, women and those less economically stable. GESI promotes inclusive policies and focuses on increasing the power of the excluded, women and the poor.<ref>United Nations Interagency Rehabilitation Programme (UNIRP)https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Gender%20Equality%20and%20Social%20Inclusion_1.pdf</ref>
 
According to World Vision, GESI is an approach intended to eliminate existing barriers in order to increase access, enable decision-making and participation of marginalized populations. This definition goes on to say that GESI requires us to create enabling environments for ALL to engage in and benefit EQUALLY from development interventions.
 
Within the rehabilitation context GESI is an approach intended to remove barriers and increase access, facilitate greater utilization of rehabilitation services, and improve users' experiences for everyone.
 
It’s important to note that not all marginalized populations are equally disadvantaged or excluded.
 
As clinicians, it is important to recognize how social characteristics influence each other and how they can influence the health condition, access to rehabilitation services, use of our services and overall patient experiences.
 
==== Social characteristics to be aware of include, but are not limited to: ====
 
* Gender
* Race
* Class
* Disability
* marital status
* immigration status
* geographical location
* level of education
* Religion
* Ethnicity
 
 
As health care providers, we are required to provide the necessary adapted rehabilitation services and assistive technology (AT) and devices to enable individuals to achieve their highest level of function, and ultimately have a positive impact on communities globally by fostering greater participation.


=== Gender Equality ===
=== Gender Equality ===
The goal of gender equality is for men and women to have equal resources, opportunities, human rights and socially valued goods.<ref>Ife J. [https://gender.jhpiego.org/analysistoolkit/gender-concepts-and-definitions/ Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice]. Cambridge University Press; 2012 May 21.</ref>  The world bank defines gender equality as, “ Gender equality or equality between different groups of women and men refers to the equal enjoyment by groups of females and males – of all ages and regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – of rights, socially valued goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Equality does not mean that women and men are the same but that their enjoyment of rights, opportunities and life chances are not governed or limited by whether they were born female or male."<ref>The World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/social-inclusion#1</ref>
The goal of gender equality is for men and women to have equal resources, opportunities, human rights and socially valued goods.<ref>Ife J. [https://gender.jhpiego.org/analysistoolkit/gender-concepts-and-definitions/ Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice]. Cambridge University Press; 2012 May 21.</ref>  The world bank defines gender equality as, “ Gender equality or equality between different groups of women and men refers to the equal enjoyment by groups of females and males – of all ages and regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – of rights, socially valued goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Equality does not mean that women and men are the same but that their enjoyment of rights, opportunities and life chances are not governed or limited by whether they were born female or male."<ref>The World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/social-inclusion#1</ref>
 
The world bank<ref name=":6" /> further classifies gender by the following:


Gender is:
==== The World Bank further classifies gender by the following: ====
'''Gender is:'''


* "About women, girls, men, and boys, and the associated norms, behaviors, and roles as well as the relationships among these groups. Gender is considered to be a social construct and its definition can vary among societies and change over time. CIWA wishes to adopt a gender-inclusive approach that recognizes that some people prefer to use non-binary terms to identify themselves."
* About women, girls, men, and boys, and the associated norms, behaviours, and roles as well as the relationships among these groups. Gender is considered to be a social construct and its definition can vary among societies and change over time. The aim is to adopt a gender-inclusive approach [in rehabilitation] that recognizes that some people prefer to use non-binary terms to identify themselves.  




Gender is not:
'''Gender is not:'''


* "Only about women and girls: Men and boys should also be part of the GESI equation
* Only about women and girls: Men and boys should also be part of the GESI equation
* Only women’s responsibility: For real change to happen, everyone needs to be involved
* Only women’s responsibility: For real change to happen, everyone needs to be involved
* A Western or foreign concept: Gender equality is a global goal articulated in national, regional, and international commitments and treaties to which many countries worldwide are signatories
* A Western or foreign concept: Gender equality is a global goal articulated in national, regional, and international commitments and treaties to which many countries worldwide are signatories
* An attempt to take away the rights of men and boys: Human Rights are universal, which means that they apply to all human beings
* An attempt to take away the rights of men and boys: Human Rights are universal, which means that they apply to all human beings
* Only an issue for gender specialists: Relying solely on gender specialists cannot tackle the main drivers of gender inequality and social exclusion. Everyone needs to be involved and committed to equality and inclusiveness."<ref name=":6">The World Bank, CIWA, 2022
* Only an issue for gender specialists: Relying solely on gender specialists cannot tackle the main drivers of gender inequality and social exclusion. Everyone needs to be involved and committed to equality and inclusiveness.
 
 
The video below shows Director-General Dr. Tedros of  the World Health Organisation discussing gender equality for women and girls:{{#ev:youtube|KSNeYyGBDiQ}}
 
==== What is GESI responsiveness?   ====
It means taking into consideration the gendered and socio-cultural differences that exist between ourselves as clinicians; and differences between patients to inform the delivery of rehabilitation services.
 
==== How to be GESI responsive as a clinician ====
We can think about GESI responsiveness as a continuum, from no consideration of our similarities and differences to actively seeking and engaging in transformative change in rehabilitation access, utilization, and experiences.
 
Being GESI conscious enables us to understand the '''fours As''' of rehabilitation services:  
 
# '''Availability'''
# '''Accessibility'''
# '''Affordability'''
# '''Acceptability'''
 
 
And as rehabilitation professionals,  we are ideally positioned to advocate for, and actively engage in, transformative change at all stages of rehabilitation.


https://www.ciwaprogram.org/about/</ref>
'''As clinicians we need to be more aware of GESI considerations:'''


The video below shows Director-General dr. Tedros of the World Health Organisation discussesing gender equality for women and girls: {{#ev:youtube|KSNeYyGBDiQ}}
* What societal and cultural norms that influence us as physiotherapists and our patient
* What patients say and how they act; and how this can be influenced by gender;
* How we interpret what we have seen and heard (from our patients) based on our own gender norms, assumptions and gender stereotypes; and how we act on the basis of those interpretations;
* What gender and power regimes we can see and identify in organizations; and how they influence our work, working conditions as well as the patient’s reality and health;
* Opportunities for social inclusion through improved communication and referral pathways between hospital systems to community based rehabilitation services, and the provision of education and training for families to increase the integration and participation of persons with disabilities.


== Social Inclusion ==
== Social Inclusion ==
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# gendered organizational aspects  
# gendered organizational aspects  
# gendered socio-cultural norms and ideals<ref name=":3">Stenberg G, Fjellman-Wiklund A, Strömbäck M, Eskilsson T, From C, Enberg B, Wiklund M. [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09593985.2021.1970867 Gender matters in physiotherapy]. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2021 Sep 3:1-4.</ref>
# gendered socio-cultural norms and ideals<ref name=":3">Stenberg G, Fjellman-Wiklund A, Strömbäck M, Eskilsson T, From C, Enberg B, Wiklund M. [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09593985.2021.1970867 Gender matters in physiotherapy]. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2021 Sep 3:1-4.</ref>
==== To be GESI responsive in clinical care we should consider: ====
* Availability of men & women therapists
* Therapist education on sex, gender bias & gender identity
* Adapted assistive devices
* Multidisciplinary care
* Automatic referrals
* Early enrolment in rehabilitation
* Collection of disaggregated data
* Advocating for empowerment of persons with disabilities


==== Gender in Clinical Practice ====
==== Gender in Clinical Practice ====
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==== Gender Organisational Aspects ====
==== Gender Organisational Aspects ====
Research in this category depicts a broader area and refers to the general make-up of an organization and the organizational ladder. The studies<ref name=":3" /> have been summarized below:
Gender can also affect the healthcare structure and an organization as a whole.  Here are things to consider when thinking about an organizational ladder <ref name=":3" />:


* Men typically have more power at the organizational level  
* Men typically have more power at the organizational level  
Line 69: Line 126:
* Working life can affect women more than men
* Working life can affect women more than men
** More women than men end their careers due to sick leave, mental health, and musculoskeletal issues
** More women than men end their careers due to sick leave, mental health, and musculoskeletal issues
==== To be a GESI responsive organization, it is essential to consider: ====
* Having women, gendered minorities & persons with disabilities in leadership
* Integration of Telerehabilitation
* Community-based rehabilitation programs
* Inclusion of rehabilitation in primary health care
* The administration and management of Adapted equipment & adapting facilities for accessibility
* Provision of affordable rehabilitation services and assistive devices under Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
* Inclusion of rehabilitation users in leadership and governance structures
* Integration of GESI into relevant new or existing organizational policies


==== Gendered sociocultural norms and ideals ====
==== Gendered sociocultural norms and ideals ====
This last aspect refers to understanding how traditionally women have been depicted as weaker and more prone to illness than men<ref name=":3" />
The construct of gender can be understood differently throughout time and across different cultures.  In some societies, traditionally women have been depicted as weaker and more prone to illness than men.<ref name=":3" />


=== Implications for Physiotherapist in Practice ===
=== Implications for Physiotherapist in Practice ===
Based on the above three categories, Stenberg et al., 2020<ref name=":3" /> recommended physiotherapists should be aware of
To help address traditional gender stereotypes, rehabilitation professionals should be aware of <ref name=":3" />:


“1) What patients say and how they act, and how this can be influenced by gender;  
"1) What patients say and how they act, and how this can be influenced by gender;  


2) How we interpret what we have seen and heard (from our patients) based on our gender norms, assumptions and gender stereotypes; and how we act based on those interpretations;  
2) How we interpret what we have seen and heard (from our patients) based on our gender norms, assumptions and gender stereotypes; and how we act based on those interpretations;  
Line 82: Line 150:
3) What gender and power regimes we can see and identify in organizations; and how do they influence our work, working conditions as well as the patient’s reality and health; and  
3) What gender and power regimes we can see and identify in organizations; and how do they influence our work, working conditions as well as the patient’s reality and health; and  


4) What gendered societal and cultural norms influence us as physiotherapists and our patients.<ref name=":3" />
4) What gendered societal and cultural norms influence us as physiotherapists and our patients."<ref name=":3" />
 
In addition, Stenberg et al., 2020<ref name=":3" /> recommends gender awareness training in PT schools and being gender sensitive during assessment and intervention decision-making.  More research is needed in this arena to help physiotherapists with gender equality and social inclusion.<ref name=":3" />
 
=== Helpful Definitions ===
'''Accessibility:''' Related to access to health means that health facilities, goods and services must be within safe physical reach for all sections of the population, especially vulnerable or marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities and indigenous populations, women, children, adolescents, older persons, persons with disabilities and persons with HIV/AIDS, including in rural areas. Accessibility is also the characteristic that products, goods, and services have so that they can be used safely and under equal conditions by all people; it comprises the physical environment, transportation, information, and communications.  
 
Accessibility aims to ensure opportunity for equitable and meaningful participation in all aspects of society by all people. Accessibility is about removing barriers to participation, including physical, informational, attitudinal, and institutional barriers. While accessibility is often thought of in relation to ensuring the full participation of persons with disabilities it is relevant and important for everyone.
 
Accessibility is commonly thought of as a mechanism to increase physical accessibility for persons with various impairments, it is not only about physical accessibility or infrastructure, but it is also about accessible goods and services, including events.
 
'''Bias (or gender bias):''' Bias or gender bias is a stated position; an assumption or situation which shows a preferred view or treatment of one sex over the other.
 
'''Discrimination:''' Discrimination is when decisions are made based on a person’s social attributes such as gender, race or ethnic origin, religion, association, physical characteristics and/or other differentiations. Direct discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person in same or similar circumstances on a ground of a particular attribute, such as their age, gender, disability, race, region, religion, culture, social status or other grounds. Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy or rule or a way of doing things that might appear on the surface to be fair or neutral, but which has an unequal effect on certain groups of people with a particular attribute and the policy or rule is unreasonable. Indirect discrimination is unlawful regardless of whether the person discriminating intendeds to discriminate or is unaware that they are doing so.
 
'''Equality:''' Equality means that all people enjoy the same status. All people have equal conditions for realising their full human rights and potential to contribute to national, political, economic, social and cultural development and to benefit from the results.


In addition,Stenberg et al., 2020<ref name=":3" /> recommends gender awareness training in PT schools and being gender sensitive during assessment and intervention decision-making. More research is needed in this arena to help physiotherapists with gender equality and social inclusion.<ref name=":3" />
'''Equity:''' Equity is a process of being fair. It means steps being taken to achieve fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities. It often requires programmes and policies to end existing inequalities. Equity leads to equality.


'''Gender:''' Gender describes the different roles and responsibilities of women and men – what males and females do, what they are responsible for, how they are expected to behave, what they are allowed to do, and what is seen as normal and proper behaviour. Gender roles responsibilities vary according to cultural, religious, historical and economic factors.


== Resources ==
== Resources ==

Revision as of 15:57, 11 May 2022

Original Editor - User:Robin Tacchetti based on the course by Linda Thumba
Top Contributors - Robin Tacchetti, Amanda Ager, Tarina van der Stockt, Kim Jackson and Lucinda hampton

This page has been created to help you understand the role Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) plays in rehabilitation.  The aim is to help clinicians feel comfortable and empowered enough to identify opportunities to integrate GESI considerations into their daily clinical practice.

What is Gender and Social Inclusion (GESI)[edit | edit source]

Gender Equality and Social Inclusion are two intertwined concepts that help improve access to goods and services for all including the excluded, women and those less economically stable. GESI promotes inclusive policies and focuses on increasing the power of the excluded, women and the poor.[1]

According to World Vision, GESI is an approach intended to eliminate existing barriers in order to increase access, enable decision-making and participation of marginalized populations. This definition goes on to say that GESI requires us to create enabling environments for ALL to engage in and benefit EQUALLY from development interventions.

Within the rehabilitation context GESI is an approach intended to remove barriers and increase access, facilitate greater utilization of rehabilitation services, and improve users' experiences for everyone.

It’s important to note that not all marginalized populations are equally disadvantaged or excluded.

As clinicians, it is important to recognize how social characteristics influence each other and how they can influence the health condition, access to rehabilitation services, use of our services and overall patient experiences.

Social characteristics to be aware of include, but are not limited to:[edit | edit source]

  • Gender
  • Race
  • Class
  • Disability
  • marital status
  • immigration status
  • geographical location
  • level of education
  • Religion
  • Ethnicity


As health care providers, we are required to provide the necessary adapted rehabilitation services and assistive technology (AT) and devices to enable individuals to achieve their highest level of function, and ultimately have a positive impact on communities globally by fostering greater participation.

Gender Equality[edit | edit source]

The goal of gender equality is for men and women to have equal resources, opportunities, human rights and socially valued goods.[2] The world bank defines gender equality as, “ Gender equality or equality between different groups of women and men refers to the equal enjoyment by groups of females and males – of all ages and regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity – of rights, socially valued goods, opportunities, resources and rewards. Equality does not mean that women and men are the same but that their enjoyment of rights, opportunities and life chances are not governed or limited by whether they were born female or male."[3]

The World Bank further classifies gender by the following:[edit | edit source]

Gender is:

  • About women, girls, men, and boys, and the associated norms, behaviours, and roles as well as the relationships among these groups. Gender is considered to be a social construct and its definition can vary among societies and change over time. The aim is to adopt a gender-inclusive approach [in rehabilitation] that recognizes that some people prefer to use non-binary terms to identify themselves.


Gender is not:

  • Only about women and girls: Men and boys should also be part of the GESI equation
  • Only women’s responsibility: For real change to happen, everyone needs to be involved
  • A Western or foreign concept: Gender equality is a global goal articulated in national, regional, and international commitments and treaties to which many countries worldwide are signatories
  • An attempt to take away the rights of men and boys: Human Rights are universal, which means that they apply to all human beings
  • Only an issue for gender specialists: Relying solely on gender specialists cannot tackle the main drivers of gender inequality and social exclusion. Everyone needs to be involved and committed to equality and inclusiveness.


The video below shows Director-General Dr. Tedros of the World Health Organisation discussing gender equality for women and girls:

What is GESI responsiveness?  [edit | edit source]

It means taking into consideration the gendered and socio-cultural differences that exist between ourselves as clinicians; and differences between patients to inform the delivery of rehabilitation services.

How to be GESI responsive as a clinician[edit | edit source]

We can think about GESI responsiveness as a continuum, from no consideration of our similarities and differences to actively seeking and engaging in transformative change in rehabilitation access, utilization, and experiences.

Being GESI conscious enables us to understand the fours As of rehabilitation services:

  1. Availability
  2. Accessibility
  3. Affordability
  4. Acceptability


And as rehabilitation professionals,  we are ideally positioned to advocate for, and actively engage in, transformative change at all stages of rehabilitation.

As clinicians we need to be more aware of GESI considerations:

  • What societal and cultural norms that influence us as physiotherapists and our patient
  • What patients say and how they act; and how this can be influenced by gender;
  • How we interpret what we have seen and heard (from our patients) based on our own gender norms, assumptions and gender stereotypes; and how we act on the basis of those interpretations;
  • What gender and power regimes we can see and identify in organizations; and how they influence our work, working conditions as well as the patient’s reality and health;
  • Opportunities for social inclusion through improved communication and referral pathways between hospital systems to community based rehabilitation services, and the provision of education and training for families to increase the integration and participation of persons with disabilities.

Social Inclusion[edit | edit source]

Social inclusion aims to keep vulnerable groups from being excluded from specific circumstances. Vulnerable groups include the elderly, people with disabilities, religious minorities, women, girls, LGBTQ, etc. [4] The world bank defines social inclusion as, “ In every country, some groups confront barriers that prevent them from fully participating in political, economic, and social life. These groups may be excluded not only through legal systems, land, and labor markets, but also discriminatory or stigmatizing attitudes, beliefs, or perceptions. Disadvantage is often based on social identity, which may be across dimensions of gender, age, location, occupation, race, ethnicity, religion, citizenship status, disability, and sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI), among other factors. This kind of social exclusion robs individuals of dignity, security, and the opportunity to lead a better life. Unless the root causes of structural exclusion and discrimination are addressed, it will be challenging to support sustainable inclusive growth and rapid poverty reduction.” [5]

The video below by Healthwest TV speaks to the importance of social inclusion:

GESI and Healthcare[edit | edit source]

Gender determines health responses, care practices, health behaviours, and essentially outcomes. [6] There is a link between social norms and biological factors that affect health status.[7] Despite gender equality being a basic human right, it continues to be a leading determinant of health inequality.[6] To combat these health inequalities, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations have pushed countries to introduce gender issues into their health systems[8]

GESI and Women[edit | edit source]

Women have a higher risk of morbidities due to their reproductive roles, nutritional inequality and their lower status in society.[8] [9]In addition, child marriages are more prevalent in girls (5 times higher), and women are the majority of victims in regards to sexual abuse and domestic violence. [7][9] Poor access to potable water and sanitation affects women more as they manage household water supply.[7] Lastly, women are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression and cancer.[10] Contrastingly, men are perceived as strong and not needing healthcare.[10]

GESI and Physiotherapy[edit | edit source]

GESI affects healthcare across the spectrum including physiotherapy. Research studies have been performed and concluded there are three areas where GESI and physiotherapists have intertwined:

  1. gender in clinical practice
  2. gendered organizational aspects
  3. gendered socio-cultural norms and ideals[11]

To be GESI responsive in clinical care we should consider:[edit | edit source]

  • Availability of men & women therapists
  • Therapist education on sex, gender bias & gender identity
  • Adapted assistive devices
  • Multidisciplinary care
  • Automatic referrals
  • Early enrolment in rehabilitation
  • Collection of disaggregated data
  • Advocating for empowerment of persons with disabilities

Gender in Clinical Practice[edit | edit source]

The following four studies[11] demonstrate how gender can impact physiotherapists in a regular clinical practice:

  • Back and neck pain study: When addressing patients in a rehabilitation setting, therapists' message to patients is expressed differently based on gender-specific stereotype.
    • Women hear “be careful” in regards to pain, while men were supported in “heavy work leads to pain.”  
    • Men were not given as many exercises as women as they were considered to be strong.
  • CP study: Interventions for children with cerebral palsy were related not only to their gross motor function but to their gender
  • LGBTQ study: LGBTQ patients felt physiotherapists' interactions were uncomfortable with them in regards to touch, physical proximity, observation of their body or undressing.
  • Transgender study: Transgender community felt the physiotherapists had a lack of knowledge about transgender-specific health issues[11]

The video below describes issues transgender people deal with when seeking medical care:

Gender Organisational Aspects[edit | edit source]

Gender can also affect the healthcare structure and an organization as a whole.  Here are things to consider when thinking about an organizational ladder [11]:

  • Men typically have more power at the organizational level
  • Workplace tools and instruments are often designed with males as the norm:
    • leading to disadvantageous outcomes for females and a high risk of musculoskeletal disorders for women
  • Working life can affect women more than men
    • More women than men end their careers due to sick leave, mental health, and musculoskeletal issues

To be a GESI responsive organization, it is essential to consider:[edit | edit source]

  • Having women, gendered minorities & persons with disabilities in leadership
  • Integration of Telerehabilitation
  • Community-based rehabilitation programs
  • Inclusion of rehabilitation in primary health care
  • The administration and management of Adapted equipment & adapting facilities for accessibility
  • Provision of affordable rehabilitation services and assistive devices under Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
  • Inclusion of rehabilitation users in leadership and governance structures
  • Integration of GESI into relevant new or existing organizational policies

Gendered sociocultural norms and ideals[edit | edit source]

The construct of gender can be understood differently throughout time and across different cultures.  In some societies, traditionally women have been depicted as weaker and more prone to illness than men.[11]

Implications for Physiotherapist in Practice[edit | edit source]

To help address traditional gender stereotypes, rehabilitation professionals should be aware of [11]:

"1) What patients say and how they act, and how this can be influenced by gender;

2) How we interpret what we have seen and heard (from our patients) based on our gender norms, assumptions and gender stereotypes; and how we act based on those interpretations;

3) What gender and power regimes we can see and identify in organizations; and how do they influence our work, working conditions as well as the patient’s reality and health; and

4) What gendered societal and cultural norms influence us as physiotherapists and our patients."[11]

In addition, Stenberg et al., 2020[11] recommends gender awareness training in PT schools and being gender sensitive during assessment and intervention decision-making. More research is needed in this arena to help physiotherapists with gender equality and social inclusion.[11]

Helpful Definitions[edit | edit source]

Accessibility: Related to access to health means that health facilities, goods and services must be within safe physical reach for all sections of the population, especially vulnerable or marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities and indigenous populations, women, children, adolescents, older persons, persons with disabilities and persons with HIV/AIDS, including in rural areas. Accessibility is also the characteristic that products, goods, and services have so that they can be used safely and under equal conditions by all people; it comprises the physical environment, transportation, information, and communications.  

Accessibility aims to ensure opportunity for equitable and meaningful participation in all aspects of society by all people. Accessibility is about removing barriers to participation, including physical, informational, attitudinal, and institutional barriers. While accessibility is often thought of in relation to ensuring the full participation of persons with disabilities it is relevant and important for everyone.

Accessibility is commonly thought of as a mechanism to increase physical accessibility for persons with various impairments, it is not only about physical accessibility or infrastructure, but it is also about accessible goods and services, including events.

Bias (or gender bias): Bias or gender bias is a stated position; an assumption or situation which shows a preferred view or treatment of one sex over the other.

Discrimination: Discrimination is when decisions are made based on a person’s social attributes such as gender, race or ethnic origin, religion, association, physical characteristics and/or other differentiations. Direct discrimination happens when a person is treated less favourably than another person in same or similar circumstances on a ground of a particular attribute, such as their age, gender, disability, race, region, religion, culture, social status or other grounds. Indirect discrimination happens when there is a policy or rule or a way of doing things that might appear on the surface to be fair or neutral, but which has an unequal effect on certain groups of people with a particular attribute and the policy or rule is unreasonable. Indirect discrimination is unlawful regardless of whether the person discriminating intendeds to discriminate or is unaware that they are doing so.

Equality: Equality means that all people enjoy the same status. All people have equal conditions for realising their full human rights and potential to contribute to national, political, economic, social and cultural development and to benefit from the results.

Equity: Equity is a process of being fair. It means steps being taken to achieve fairness and justice in the distribution of benefits and responsibilities. It often requires programmes and policies to end existing inequalities. Equity leads to equality.

Gender: Gender describes the different roles and responsibilities of women and men – what males and females do, what they are responsible for, how they are expected to behave, what they are allowed to do, and what is seen as normal and proper behaviour. Gender roles responsibilities vary according to cultural, religious, historical and economic factors.

Resources[edit | edit source]

or

  1. United Nations Interagency Rehabilitation Programme (UNIRP)https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Gender%20Equality%20and%20Social%20Inclusion_1.pdf
  2. Ife J. Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice. Cambridge University Press; 2012 May 21.
  3. The World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/social-inclusion#1
  4. Governance Network,https://www.shareweb.ch/site/DDLGN/topics/governance/socialinclusion/SitePages/Home.aspx
  5. World Bank, https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/social-inclusion#1
  6. 6.0 6.1 Shannon G, Jansen M, Williams K, Cáceres C, Motta A, Odhiambo A, Eleveld A, Mannell J. Gender equality in science, medicine, and global health: where are we at and why does it matter?. The Lancet. 2019 Feb 9;393(10171):560-9.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Fernández R, Isakova A, Luna F, Rambousek B. Gender Equality and Inclusive Growth. International Monetary Fund; 2021 Mar 4
  8. 8.0 8.1 Crespí-Lloréns N, Hernández-Aguado I, Chilet-Rosell E. Have policies tackled gender inequalities in health? A scoping review. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021 Jan;18(1):327.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Dilli S, Carmichael SG, Rijpma A. Introducing the historical gender equality index. Feminist Economics. 2019 Jan 2;25(1):31-57.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Hay K, McDougal L, Percival V, Henry S, Klugman J, Wurie H, Raven J, Shabalala F, Fielding-Miller R, Dey A, Dehingia N. Disrupting gender norms in health systems: making the case for change. The Lancet. 2019 Jun 22;393(10190):2535-49.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Stenberg G, Fjellman-Wiklund A, Strömbäck M, Eskilsson T, From C, Enberg B, Wiklund M. Gender matters in physiotherapy. Physiotherapy theory and practice. 2021 Sep 3:1-4.