The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) follows the WHO definition of gender as a social construct that relates to women, men, girls, boys and gender diverse communities (people who do not conform to traditional gender identities, such as transgender, non-binary, or those who chose not to label their gender identity). A person’s biological sex and socially constructed gender interact to produce differentials in risks to ill health, in health-seeking behavior and, ultimately, in health outcomes.

Gender equity is about ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to attain their full health and wellbeing according to their respective needs, with no one disadvantaged due to gender. In practice, this may involve individuals being treated in the same way or differently.

This Technical brief “Gender Equity” provides practical guidance for countries in using a gender equity approach to maximize the impact of programs resourced by the Global Fund. Gender equity means everyone has an opportunity to attain their full health and well-being according to their respective needs, with no one disadvantaged due to gender norms, roles and relationships. The main audience for this brief is stakeholders who are directly involved in country-level processes to develop and write funding requests for the Global Fund.

Please note that this brief does not aim to serve as a manual on how to design and implement programs to advance gender equity. Instead, it sets out key concepts, resources, and opportunities within the Global Fund grant cycle to integrate a gender equitable approach. The brief also does not aim to provide a definitive or exhaustive list of the ‘entry points’ for advancing gender equity within programs funded by Global Fund.

The full version of the Technical brief “Gender Equity”.