Health
Health
Poverty in a Rising Africa is the first of a two-part volume on poverty in Africa. aimed at better understanding progress in poverty reduction in Africa and articulating a policy agenda to accelerate it. The report discusses the data challenges faced when measuring poverty and inequality in Africa and systematically reviews the measures of poverty… Read more
In this joint publication, UNICEF and WHO report that between 2000 and 2015, malaria mortality rates among children under age 5 fell by 65 per cent, saving an estimated 5.9 million lives. The report highlights the remarkable global and regional progress made against malaria, and the main challenges that remain in controlling and eliminating this disease,… Read more
In 2015, as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) come to an end, a new generation of world leaders, government officials, donors and civil society organisations, have joined forces to articulate their vision for a future where all people can contribute to, and benefit from, an inclusive development framework. Across the documents and consultations, these leaders… Read more
Comprehensive public health action on population ageing is urgently needed. This will require fundamental shifts, not just in the things we do, but in how we think about ageing itself. This report outlines a framework for action to foster healthy ageing built around the new concept of functional ability. Making these investments will have valuable social… Read more
Mozambique health system reconstruction supports the conclusion that the reconstruction of health systems is mainly “gender blind”. Policy-makers in Mozambique have not adequately considered the role of gender in contributing to health or addressed women’s and men’s different health needs. Despite government commitment to gender mainstreaming, the health system is far from gender equitable. Donors… Read more
This case study highlights that despite the challenges in integrating gender equity concerns into the health system in Timor-Leste, overall, the reform of the health system since conflict ended has benefited women’s health. In some areas, Timor-Leste has achieved some key targets, for example the proportion of births attended by a skilled health worker and… Read more
This case study examines whether health system reconstruction in northern Uganda has promoted equality and created a health system that is gender equitable. Measuring the health system against the World Health Organization’s six health system building blocks, the case study highlights that northern Uganda needs a post-conflict recovery plan which is sensitive to gender concerns…. Read more
Sierra Leone is almost at the bottom in the Human Development Index, ranking 180th out of 187 countries. There is significant gender inequality where a mere 23% of women are literate, half the rate among men, while domestic violence is widespread. In addition, infectious diseases such as malaria, TB and HIV/ AIDS are the leading… Read more
A common assumption is that strengthening the health system will automatically lead to better health for men and women. However, health systems are not neutral: they reflect gender norms, and as such, can reinforce gender inequalities and discrimination. Health system reform has largely paid little attention to how health service integration, human resource policies, information… Read more
The period just after conflict is a time of turmoil when social norms are in a state of flux, donor funds are available and there is often a political will for change. A window of opportunity for reform in public sector institutions can open, offering a chance to “build back better” in health and gender… Read more
The current Ebola outbreak is concentrated in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea: countries with limited state capacity which are recovering from political instability and conflict. The indirect consequences of the Ebola epidemic and its disruption of public and private services threaten the lives and livelihoods of more than 22 million people in Ebola-affected areas. As… Read more