True gender equality requires that we go beyond creating markets for health access — and, rather, establish the opportunities so that we listen to and support every woman and girl to #VoiceHerChoice.
Through PSI’s consumer-powered approach, we develop and implement real-world solutions that bring women and girls — and all who influence their worlds — into the design and delivery of our public health program. We’re committed to advancing gender equality, bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) through self-care; and we’re committed to ensuring equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for our client-facing female healthcare workers. After all, supporting women to keep themselves safe and healthy paves the way for women everywhere to prosper and thrive.
Yet there is more we can do. And when it comes to gender transformative programming, we’re still wrestling with the hard questions.
This Generation Equality Forum, we asked PSIers, health workers, consumers and government representatives around the world and across PSI’s sexual and reproductive health, water and sanitation and malaria practice areas to offer their visions for gender equality, within and beyond our public health programs. Explore the questions we asked below — and then listen to their insights in the videos that follow.
WHAT WE ASKED
- How can we commit to not only public health but human rights, too?
- What are the links between economic empowerment, social norm change and health outcomes?
- How can we build women and girls’ power to choose?
- For young girls, how can we pave pathways for health access championed by their families and partners?
- How can women use their influence within their families to inspire healthy behaviors?
- How can we break stigma that blocks health access?
- How can we understand the differences in men and women’s journeys to healthcare to speed them along the path toward better health outcomes?
- How do we overcome societal messages that say, “men don’t need healthcare?”
- What could civil society do to champion gender equality?
- What could civil society do to champion gender equality?
- How can we create health systems and programs supportive of all genders and sexual orientations?
- How can gender equality make health systems more resilient?
WHAT PSIERS, HEALTH WORKERS, CONSUMERS AND GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES SHARED
Kemi Tesfazghi, the GEMS+ Project Director at PSI Laos, discusses how gender equality can make health systems more resilient.
Joans Oluoch El-Shadah, a young consumer engaged through PS Kenya, shares her vision for how we, collectively, can we break stigmas that blocks health access.
Zeynabou Haidara, a SRH Referral Officer for the Government of Mali, explains how women can use their influence within their families to inspire healthy behaviors.
Winnie Osulah, PSI’s Senior Gender Technical Advisor for A360, discusses how we can break stigmas that block health access.
Khetsile Maseko, a Field Mentor for PSI Eswatini, shares how we can commit to not only public health but human rights, too.
Nqobile Tsabedze-Msibi, PSI Eswatini’s DREAMS/FCI Director, explores the links between economic empowerment, social norm change and health outcomes.
Lundula Mavimbe, a Learning Advisor for PSI Mozambique’s EPIC Project, discusses how understanding the differences in men and women’s journeys to healthcare can speed them along the path toward better health outcomes.
Jackline Rwegasira, an A360 Youth Officer for PSI Tanzania, speaks to how we can girls’ power to choose.
Marie Léa Dakouo, PSI Mali’s SRH Project Manager, offers her take on supporting women and girls to #VoiceHerChoice, especially among some of the most conservative settings.
Assitan Diakite, a PSI Mali Supervisor, shares why intergenerational discussions are key to support young people to make, and own, their SRH choices.
Dorine Irankunda, PSI’s SRH Clinical Advisor, shares why PSI commits to ensuring our client-facing women healthcare workers have equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.
Terry Namatovu Mumbe, a ProFam Clinician with PSI Uganda, explains how access to the COVID-19 vaccine has strengthened her ability to serve women and girls.
Joseph Ouko Were, a Kenyan community leader, discusses how we can collectively overcome societal messages that say, “men don’t need healthcare.”
Melat Gebregiorgis, a Youth Innovation Officer for PSI’s A360 project, explains why constant and meaningful participation by women in public health programs will contribute to better health systems.
Brian Otieno Chodha, a healthcare provider for PS Kenya’s DESIP project, shares how families and partners can champion women and girls’ voice and choice.
Aime Gbahoue, a Micro-Entrepreneur for PSI Benin’s Sanitation Service Delivery programs, answers what civil society could do to champion gender equality.
Genet Ayele, a consumer engaged through PSI Ethiopia’s MULU project, discusses the links between economic empowerment, social norm change and health outcomes.
We Can Go Further When We Work Together
Achieving true gender equality starts with seeing the whole woman; but how. Join us to learn together.
