Transforming Gender Norms

EngenderHealth envisions a world where all people exercise their right to gender-equitable sexual and reproductive healthcare and participate as equal members of society. Our programs incorporate gender-transformative approaches to explore, challenge, and improve social norms, beliefs, and practices that shape people’s sexual and reproductive health outcomes and broader opportunities.

At the national level, we advocate with our partners for gender-equitable, youth-friendly, and socially inclusive policies and programs. In health systems and facilities, we train healthcare providers and administrators to deliver gender-sensitive and youth-friendly counseling and services. We partner with youth- and women-led organizations and local leaders to deliver community, school, and workplace interventions that challenge gender stereotypes and eradicate discriminatory practices that harm the health and well-being of all people.

In working with our teams, partners, healthcare providers, and other stakeholders, EngenderHealth routinely uses a robust set of tools to support gender, youth, and social inclusion (GYSI). These tools support individuals and teams in reflecting on and challenging GYSI-related norms, and in designing, implementing, and monitoring programs that are gender- and youth-transformative and socially inclusive. The tools also include a Risk Assessment Matrix and a Do No Harm Framework. They are freely available for others to use and adapt and include:

Beyond our programs, EngenderHealth is also committed to ensuring gender, youth, and social inclusion in our operations. For more information, please see our Gender, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (GEDI) policy.

“I believe that gender equality should be everyone's responsibility and to change the unequal norms in society, we must begin from ourselves. Gender equality in all its intersectionality, is very close to my heart, as a core human right.”

–Dr. Renu Golwalkar

Director of Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion, India