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Review
. 2024 Feb 28:12:1345273.
doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1345273. eCollection 2024.

Gender considerations in One Health: a framework for researchers

Alessandra Galiè #  1 , Anni McLeod #  2 , Zoë A Campbell  1 , Nicholas Ngwili  1 , Zelalem G Terfa  3 , Lian F Thomas  1   4   5
Affiliations
Review

Gender considerations in One Health: a framework for researchers

Alessandra Galiè et al. Front Public Health. .

Abstract

One Health research and intervention outcomes are strongly influenced by gender dynamics. Women, men, girls, and boys can be negatively affected by gender-based disadvantage in any of the three One Health domains (animal, human, and environmental health), and where this occurs in more than one domain the result may be a compounding of inequity. Evidence worldwide shows that women and girls are more likely to suffer from such gender-based disadvantage. A thoughtfully implemented One Health intervention that prioritizes gender equity is more likely to be adopted, has fewer unintended negative consequences, and can support progress toward gender equality, however there is limited evidence and discussion to guide using a gender lens in One Health activities. We propose a framework to identify key gender considerations in One Health research for development - with a focus on Low-and Middle-Income Countries. The framework encourages developing two types of research questions at multiple stages of the research process: those with a bioscience entry-point and those with a gender entry-point. Gender considerations at each stage of research, institutional support required, and intervention approaches is described in the framework. We also give an applied example of the framework as it might be used in One Health research. Incorporation of gender questions in One Health research supports progress toward more equitable, sustainable, and effective One Health interventions. We hope that this framework will be implemented and optimized for use across many One Health challenge areas with the goal of mainstreaming gender into One Health research.

Keywords: One Health; T. solium; equity; framework; gender.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
One Health as described by OHHLEP.
Figure 2
Figure 2
A framework for gender in One Health research. Every research stage involves identifying both integrated and strategic gender research questions and having underlying institutional support.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The interrelation between gender equity and One Health.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Taenia solium transmission routes. Reused with permission from (38).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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