POLICY: Strengthen Gender Mainstreaming in WHO’s Pandemic Preparedness and Response

The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR), the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (IOAC) and the Review Committee of International Health Regulations (IHR) are important opportunities to consider the World Health Organization (WHO) and states’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic from a gender perspective. National governments are responsible for developing and implementing laws and policies to respond to crises, and mitigating outbreak impacts on different sectors of society. WHO is responsible for global priority-setting and coordination, information dissemination and knowledge sharing. IHR must mainstream gender in planned actions and obligations. This brief by Women in Global Health and the Gender and COVID-19 Project provides advice for gender mainstreaming as states and WHO i) prepare for an outbreak, ii) engage in decision making and advice during the crisis and iii) respond to epidemics and potential pandemics.

Gender and COVID-19 Project and Women in Global Health. Sumegha Asthana, Sara E Davies, Roopa Dhatt, Ann Keeling, Arush Lal, Alexandra Phelan, Maike Voss and Clare Wenham (October 2020) Strengthen gender mainstreaming in WHO´s pandemic preparedness and response, Policy Brief.