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Father-to-Father groups in Malawi: Towards a gender-transformative approach to improving nutrition

October 18, 2023

Father-to-Father groups in Malawi: Towards a gender-transformative approach to improving nutrition

In Malawi, where malnutrition is widespread, men tend to make key decisions which affect the nutritional status of their families. Engaging them to think differently about their roles as husbands and fathers is crucial for improving nutrition.

Reaching out to young people in Burundi with quality health services

August 31, 2023

Reaching out to young people in Burundi with quality health services

Burundi’s Reproductive Health Programme combines Systemic Quality Improvement in health centres with Community-Based Networking for adolescent and youth health.

Getting Kyrgyz women the antenatal care they’re entitled to: Closing the gap between paper and practice

August 30, 2023

Getting Kyrgyz women the antenatal care they’re entitled to: Closing the gap between paper and practice

Pregnant women in Kyrgyzstan are entitled to a basic package of antenatal care services through the country’s national social health insurance. Yet accessing these services can be like navigating an obstacle course. A German-supported project is raising women’s awareness of their rights and making it easier for pregnant women who are uninsured to get covered.

The Generation Dialogue in Egypt: Creating space for conversations about the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

June 21, 2023

The Generation Dialogue in Egypt: Creating space for conversations about the persistence of Female Genital Mutilation

In Minya Governate, the Generation Dialogue exceeded all expectations: 'I never could have imagined that I would see young women stand up at a public meeting and speak openly before older members of the community.'

Why ‘MenstruAction’ is a gender-transformative approach: BMZ and GIZ‘s commitment to a movement that has come a long way

May 21, 2023

Why ‘MenstruAction’ is a gender-transformative approach: BMZ and GIZ‘s commitment to a movement that has come a long way

How a neglected yet vital issue has climbed up the development agenda, why it matters and what still needs to be done.

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Health and gender

Gender inequity and the stigmatisation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual/transgender, queer, intersexual and asexual persons as well as all other gender identities (LGBTQIA+) can threaten people‘s health and life.

Whether someone is born a man or a woman or an LGBTQIA+ person can impact individual freedoms, employment opportunities, salaries and more to this day. In many countries, women and LGBTQIA+ people also face restrictions on basic human rights such as freedom of expression, their right to education, protection from political persecution and their right to the highest attainable standard of health.  

In the area of sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender inequity manifests itself, for example, wherever women are not free to choose whether to use contraception or whether to carry a pregnancy to term or have an abortion. Gender inequity also takes its toll where women and girls face stigma during their menstrual periods and lack sanitary conditions for menstrual hygiene; where they are exposed to domestic and sexual violence and lack access to emergency services for victims of such violence; and where harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, early marriage and early pregnancy threaten the health and lives of girls and young women. 

Where LGBTQIA+ persons are stigmatised and criminalised, this impedes their access to health services so that, for example, HIV infections cannot be detected and treated at an early stage. It also leads to them being disproportionately affected by physical and sexual violence.

Equal rights and equal opportunities for men and women, girls and boys and LGBTQIA+ persons are fundamental pillars of German development policy and a cross-cutting task for all areas of German development cooperation. The reports and toolkits below show how this commitment is being implemented.

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