TY - JOUR
T1 - A missing piece in the Health for Peace agenda
T2 - gender diverse leadership and governance
AU - Meagher, Kristen
AU - Mkhallalati, Hala
AU - El Achi, Nassim
AU - Patel, Preeti
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding This research is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Research for Health Systems Strengthening in north-west Syria (131207), using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK government.
Publisher Copyright:
© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.
PY - 2022/10/9
Y1 - 2022/10/9
N2 - The purpose of this paper is to explore how gender diverse leadership and governance of health systems may contribute to the Health for Peace Agenda. Despite recent momentum, the evidence base to support, implement and evaluate ‘Health for Peace’ programmes remains limited and policy-makers in conflict settings do not consider peace when developing and implementing interventions and health policies. Through this analysis, we found that gender diverse leadership in health systems during active conflict offers greater prospects for sustainable peace and more equitable social economic recovery in the post-conflict period. Therefore, focusing on gender diversity of leadership and governance in health systems strengthening offers a novel way of linking peace and health, particularly in active conflict settings. While components of health systems are beginning to incorporate a gender lens, there remains significant room for improvement particularly in complex and protracted conflicts. Two case studies are explored, north-west Syria and Afghanistan, to highlight that an all-encompassing health systems focus may provide an opportunity for further understanding the link between gender, peace and health in active conflict and advocate for long-term investment in systems impacted by conflict. This approach may enable women and gender minorities to have a voice in the decision-making of health programmes and interventions that supports systems, and enables the community-led and context-specific knowledge and action required to address the root causes of inequalities and inequities in systems and societies.
AB - The purpose of this paper is to explore how gender diverse leadership and governance of health systems may contribute to the Health for Peace Agenda. Despite recent momentum, the evidence base to support, implement and evaluate ‘Health for Peace’ programmes remains limited and policy-makers in conflict settings do not consider peace when developing and implementing interventions and health policies. Through this analysis, we found that gender diverse leadership in health systems during active conflict offers greater prospects for sustainable peace and more equitable social economic recovery in the post-conflict period. Therefore, focusing on gender diversity of leadership and governance in health systems strengthening offers a novel way of linking peace and health, particularly in active conflict settings. While components of health systems are beginning to incorporate a gender lens, there remains significant room for improvement particularly in complex and protracted conflicts. Two case studies are explored, north-west Syria and Afghanistan, to highlight that an all-encompassing health systems focus may provide an opportunity for further understanding the link between gender, peace and health in active conflict and advocate for long-term investment in systems impacted by conflict. This approach may enable women and gender minorities to have a voice in the decision-making of health programmes and interventions that supports systems, and enables the community-led and context-specific knowledge and action required to address the root causes of inequalities and inequities in systems and societies.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141923119&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007742
DO - 10.1136/bmjgh-2021-007742
M3 - Article
SN - 2059-7908
VL - 7
JO - BMJ Global Health
JF - BMJ Global Health
M1 - 007742
ER -
