Gender Equity in TB

Gender is one of the most important social determinants of health and should be a critical component of strategies to end the highly gendered global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. Gender-responsive approaches that address cultural, structural, social, and individual determinants are essential to accelerate progress toward global targets to reduce TB morbidity and mortality.

The Gender Equity in TB working group was established in 2022 to mobilise knowledge on the role of gender in TB for awareness and action in TB prevention and care through evidence-informed policy and practice.

The objectives of this working group are:

• To establish an inclusive community of stakeholders including researchers, practitioners, policy makers, civil society, TB-affected communities and their coalitions

• To create an online network for working group members to share evidence on gender in TB burden, prevention, and care and guidelines and strategies for addressing gender disparities and improving gender equity in TB prevention and care

• To identify evidence and policy gaps, outline research priorities, and provide recommendations for change towards a gender-transformative response to TB

The working group has advocated for recognition of gender as a social determinant of TB ahead of the United Nations High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis and contributed to the Stop TB Partnership’s “The Accountability Report of TB-affected Communities & Civil Society: Priorities to Close the Deadly Divide”. The group has also hosted a series of symposia and webinars:

• "Promoting positive action to improve health and wellbeing for men affected by TB" to commemorate International Men's Day 2023.

• “Enabling gender equity in TB: gender-sensitive solutions in TB policy and programme” at the 2022 Union World Conference on Lung Health

• “Multisectoral engagement to improve gender equity in TB and to ensure no one is left behind” on International Men’s Day 2022 co-hosted with the WHO Global TB Programme

• “Community, right and gender: Meaningful engagement with African-centred masculinities to end TB” co-hosted with The LIGHT Consortium and SSHIFTB

• “Raising the ambition for a gender-transformative response to tuberculosis for improving health, social and economic outcomes” at the 2023 Union World Conference on Lung Health

The group is currently co-chaired by:
Katherine Horton (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK)
Kerry Millington (Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK)

and working closely with:

Amrita Daftary (York University, Canada)
Jeremiah Chikovore (Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa)
Joseph Daniels (Arizona State University, USA)
Maurine Murenga (TB Women Global, Kenya)
Andrew Medina-Marino (Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, South Africa)
and our group members.
 

Please contact us at genderequityintb@gmail.com