Gender equity and human rights mainstreaming in health is being envisaged as cross-cutting across all priority health programmes in Pakistan. Furthermore, it remains one of the key areas within the One United Nations Programming supporting the Government of Pakistan (GOP) to fulfil International and National commitments regarding Gender Equality, Women Health, Empowerment and Human Rights within Health Sector.

Despite many achievements in the form of legislation on women empowerment and Ending Violence against Women (EVAW), awareness, improvement in social status and socio-economic progress indicators, significant socio-cultural disparities, human rights violations and gender based inequalities still exist in the society. The WHO programmatic interventions target informed health planning, improved progress on health indicators while addressing persistent socio-cultural inequalities in Pakistan. The support provided by WHO-Pakistan is completely in tandem with the principles of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for “leaving no one behind”, while addressing national priorities and commitments towards Gender Equality and Human Rights in health. 

WHO support

Institutional Capacity building on Health Equity and Human Rights in public health response through multidisciplinary in-service training courses for professionals, practitioners, service providers and community workers  from health and non-health sectors;  health academia, public health institutes and civil society organisations. The capacity building support further strengthens capacities of health planners and policy makers on gender analysis skills and gender Responsive Health Planning.  

Evidence based research and analysis on Gender, Human Rights and Health Issues: Results from 6 Key research studies are available and being utilized to inform health curricula, policies and programme. 

Health Sector Response to Gender based Violence (GBV): the support includes development of national treatment protocols including SOPs for health care providers to address GBV as a multisectoral responsibility. The process is further complemented by evidence based research on health system capacity to address GBV; in- service trainings on public health response to GBV and policy advocacy for integration of this serious public health problem at policy, programme and in national data set systems of Pakistan.    

Policy advocacy and Community Empowerment on addressing Gender inequalities in health:  the programme support included community awareness through media campaigns, documentaries; community based campaigning through civil society to raise awareness among common people and vulnerable groups about their basic human rights so that the service delivery mechanisms could be more responsive and accountable towards their respective needs.