1. Gender Mainstreaming in
Humanitarian Action
Reproductive Health
Henia Dakkak, MD, MPH
Humanitarian Response Unit
UNFPA
New York – June 21, 2007
2. “Gender”
Explains the socially constructed
identities, roles and expectations
associated with males and females
Describes the unequal relationship
between men and women and makes
clear that the prevailing unequal
gender roles and relations help to
limit women’s participation and
contribution
3. Gender issues are not the same as
women’s issues
Working towards gender equality does not
mean sameness between men and women,
but rather that both can exercise their
rights in an equitable process which
recognizes that their starting points are
different, but nevertheless equal
Understanding gender means
understanding opportunities, constraints
and the impacts of change as they affect
both men and women
4. Gender Roles
In most societies gender inequality stems
from the fact that women must fulfil 3 main
roles, which are unrecognized and
undervalued
- Reproductive “refers to women’s child
bearing as well as to their child rearing roles
- Productive “refers to women’s role as
income earners in both formal and informal
sectors”
- Community “refers to women’s collective
work at the community level”
5. Gender-based Analysis
Gender analysis is a tool used in the
understanding of social processes and provides
a method for responding with informed and
equitable options
Gender based analysis challenges the
assumption that everyone is affected by
policies and programs in the same way
regardless of their sex, a notion often referred
to as ‘gender-neutral policy’ and makes visible
the different needs and perspective of women,
identifies barriers facing women in carrying out
their daily multiple roles and illuminates the
socially constructed relationships between men
and women
6. Gender Analysis
and
Gender Sensitive Indicators
Effective gender analysis to monitor
progress on gender equity and sustainable
development requires good gender-
disaggregated data, gender sensitive
research and indicators.
Severe lack of adequate data available.
For example, in work assessment, caring
activities are still categorized as leisure,
and few gender disaggregated
environment and health indicators exist
7. Gender Mainstreaming
Strategy to encourage gender balance in
governance and sustainable development
include full and equal participation of
women in the formulation of all policies
and decision making; evaluating
institutions for gender balance and action
on gender issues; overcoming women’s
apathy and lack of understanding of
government processes with innovative
types of outreach
8. Mechanisms to achieve gender
mainstreaming
Awareness-raising, capacity building,
education and training of women and
men; and all people in decision-making
positions in all sectors and all levels
(changing curricula, public campaigns,
developing gender sensitivity training;
guidelines for gender mainstreaming0
Institutional mechanisms for the
advancement of women e.g. legislation
(CEDAW, national legislation); making
gender disaggregated information
available and supporting relevant research
9. Gender Mainstreaming Strategies
Adequate funding and support with
monitoring and evaluation for
effectiveness and replication (gender
budgeting)
Collecting and sharing good practices
at local, national and international
levels including peer review of good
practice and promoting successful
strategies
10. Gender Mainstreaming in
Humanitarian Action
Five Way Proposal
Gender Handbook in Humanitarian Action “Women,
Girls, Boys and Men Different Needs – Equal
Opportunities” was created to establish some
standards for humanitarian actors
Gender Surge Capacity and Roster – to create
standby capacity of gender advisors who can be
deployed to help Humanitarian coordinators
Sex and Age disaggregated data
Capacity development of humanitarian actors – Self
training module as requirement before deployment
similar to security awareness
Increase Partnership with national and regional
women organizations and civil societies
11. Framework for Gender Equality
A nalyse gender differences
D esign services to meet needs of all
A ccess ensured for all
P articipate equally for all
T rain women and men equally
and
A ddress GBV in sector programs
C ollect, analyse and report sex/age
disaggregated data
T arget actions based on a gender analysis
Coordinate actions with all partners
ADAPT and ACT Collectively to ensure
gender
12. HUMANITARIAN
reform
THREE PILLARS OF REFORM AND
THE FOUNDATION
CLUSTER HUMANITARIAN HUMANITARIAN
APPROACH COORDINATORS FINANCING
PARTNERSHIP
13. reform
HUMANITARIAN
Inter-Agency Standing Committee
Full Members and Standing Invitees
Full Members Standing Invitees
Whose reform? Food and Agricultural
Organisation (FAO)
International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC)
Office for the Coordination of International Council of Voluntary
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Agencies (ICVA)
Inter-Agency Standing United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP)
International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent
Committee (IASC)
Societies (IFRC)
United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA) American Council for Voluntary
International Action (InterAction)
Composed of NGO consortia,
United Nations High Comissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) International Organisation for
Migration (IOM)
Red Cross and Red Crescent
Movement, IOM, World bank
United Nations Children’s Fund
(UNICEF) Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights (OHCHR)
and UN agencies
World Food Programme (WFP) Office of the Special
Representative of the Secretary
General on the Human Rights of
Internally Displaced Persons
World Health Organisation (RSG on HR of IDPs)
(WHO)
Steering Committee for
Humanitarian Response (SCHR)
World Bank (World Bank)
14. reform
HUMANITARIAN
Global Capacity-Building
Cluster/Sector Working Group Global Cluster Leads
1. Agriculture FAO
2. Camp Coordination & Camp Mgmt UNHCR & IOM
3. Early Recovery UNDP
4. Education UNICEF & Save the Children
5. Emergency Shelter UNHCR & IFRC (Convenor)
6. Emergency Telecomms OCHA (UNICEF & WFP)
7. Health WHO
8. Logistics WFP
9. Nutrition UNICEF
10. Protection UNHCR
11. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene UNICEF
15. reform
HUMANITARIAN
Cross-cutting Issues
Ge nde r Equ ali ty UNFPA and WHO (IA SC SWG)
HIV/ AIDS UNAIDS (IA SC TF)
Envi ronme nt UNEP
(O the rs huma n rig hts, age, older persons, etc)
16. Reproductive health
is a state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity, in all
matters relating to the reproductive
system and to its functions and processes.
Reproductive health therefore implies that
people are able to have a satisfying and
safe sex life and that they have the
capability to reproduce and the freedom to
decide if, when and how often to do so. It
also includes sexual health, the purpose of
which is the enhancement of life and
personal relations.
(Cairo, ICPD Programme of Action, paragraph 7.2)
17. Why reproductive health
services for populations in
crisis?
Reproductive health is
a human right
a psychosocial health need
18. Inter-Agency Working Group
on RH in Refugee Situations
(IAWG)
Formed in 1995 under coordination of
UNHCR
Minimal Initial Service Package
(MISP)
Inter-agency Field Manual
19. What is the MISP?
Mimimum basic, limited reproductive
health
Initial
for use in emergency, without
site-specific needs assessment
Service services to be delivered to the
population
Package supplies (e.g. RH kit) and
activities
coordination and planning
20. Components of the MISP
Identify a coordinator
Prevent and manage the
consequences of sexual violence
Reduce HIV transmission
Prevent excess neonatal and
maternal morbidity and mortality
Plan for comprehensive RH services,
integrated into PHC, as soon as
possible
