Gender in Health Governance Tool

Why is gender responsiveness in health governance so important? Gender responsiveness in governance has the potential to enhance positive health outcomes not only for women but also for the entire community. Women play three important roles in a health system: 1) as decision makers; 2) as health workers and health care providers; and 3) as users of services. Nevertheless, governance structures in health systems and health institutions are most often dominated by men. As a result, issues faced by women in leadership, governance, and management roles, women in the health workforce, and women as users of health services are too often ignored.