TY - JOUR
T1 - SDG5 “Gender Equality” and the COVID-19 pandemic
T2 - A rapid assessment of health system responses in selected upper-middle and high-income countries
AU - Kuhlmann, Ellen
AU - Lotta, Gabriela
AU - Fernandez, Michelle
AU - Herten-Crabb, Asha
AU - Mac Fehr, Leonie
AU - Maple, Jaimie Lee
AU - Paina, Ligia
AU - Wenham, Clare
AU - Willis, Karen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 Kuhlmann, Lotta, Fernandez, Herten-Crabb, Mac Fehr, Maple, Paina, Wenham and Willis.
PY - 2023/2/3
Y1 - 2023/2/3
N2 - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare and societies, exacerbating existing inequalities for women and girls across every sphere. Our study explores health system responses to gender equality goals during the COVID-19 pandemic and inclusion in future policies. Methods: We apply a qualitative comparative approach, drawing on secondary sources and expert information; the data was collected from March–July 2022. Australia, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the USA were selected, reflecting upper-middle and high-income countries with established public health and gender policies but different types of healthcare systems and epidemiological and geo-political conditions. Three sub-goals of SDG5 were analyzed: maternity care/reproductive health, gender-based violence, and gender equality/women's leadership. Results: We found similar trends across countries. Pandemic policies strongly cut into women's health, constrained prevention and support services, and weakened reproductive rights, while essential maternity care services were kept open. Intersecting gender inequalities were reinforced, sexual violence increased and women's leadership was weak. All healthcare systems failed to protect women's health and essential public health targets. Yet there were relevant differences in the responses to increased violence and reproductive rights, ranging from some support measures in Australia to an abortion ban in the US. Conclusions: Our study highlights a need for revising pandemic policies through a feminist lens.
AB - Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted healthcare and societies, exacerbating existing inequalities for women and girls across every sphere. Our study explores health system responses to gender equality goals during the COVID-19 pandemic and inclusion in future policies. Methods: We apply a qualitative comparative approach, drawing on secondary sources and expert information; the data was collected from March–July 2022. Australia, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the USA were selected, reflecting upper-middle and high-income countries with established public health and gender policies but different types of healthcare systems and epidemiological and geo-political conditions. Three sub-goals of SDG5 were analyzed: maternity care/reproductive health, gender-based violence, and gender equality/women's leadership. Results: We found similar trends across countries. Pandemic policies strongly cut into women's health, constrained prevention and support services, and weakened reproductive rights, while essential maternity care services were kept open. Intersecting gender inequalities were reinforced, sexual violence increased and women's leadership was weak. All healthcare systems failed to protect women's health and essential public health targets. Yet there were relevant differences in the responses to increased violence and reproductive rights, ranging from some support measures in Australia to an abortion ban in the US. Conclusions: Our study highlights a need for revising pandemic policies through a feminist lens.
KW - COVID-19 pandemic
KW - SDG5 gender equality
KW - health systems and policy
KW - international comparison
KW - upper-middle and high-income countries
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U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1078008
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1078008
M3 - Article
C2 - 36817917
AN - SCOPUS:85148363810
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 11
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 1078008
ER -