Rights Based Approaches to Health

The course approach explores how gender differences and inequalities result in inequality both in health status and in access to health care. A human rights framework is applied to explore gender-based violence (GBV) and how unequal power relations contribute to GBV with consequent physical, mental, and economic impacts. A variety of strategies to address health challenges and GBV are also introduced and discussed using a multi-sectoral approach.

After successful completion of this module fellows should be able to:

• understand the link between gender, health, well-being, and ill-health
• understand why health interventions and campaigns need to address gender and target communities’ needs and worldviews
• understand a human rights-based and genderresponsive approach to policies and programmes for health, in particular mental, sexual, and reproductive health
• understand the gendered aspects of violence and be familiar with its different manifestations
• understand how GBV is a violation of human rights
• be familiar with the risk factors and consequences of GBV and the different strategies to address it.