7.A. Round table: Multilateral Partnerships to achieve the SDG5: Gender Equality, and to combat COVID-19
Authors:   Organised by: SDG5 WG EUPHA, EUPHA-HWR, EUPHA-INJ, WHO/Europe,   Chair persons: Elena Petelos (EUPHA-HTA), Isabel Yordi Aguirre (WHO/Europe)
Published: October 2021

Abstract

Gender Equality is vital for a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world for all individuals. Care- and help-seeking behaviour is strongly associated with health status, but, also gender, with women's health strongly correlating to that of the whole family and directly linked to the wellbeing of all members in our communities, and the resilience and sustainability of health systems. Health and social care delivery has been lacking a gender-centred approach, with a two-prong effect, on professionals/workforce (hierarchies and leadership imbalance) and on users/recipients/care seekers (lack of gender-sensitive care provision). The COVID-19 pandemic is a global health threat and societal challenge that has already exacerbated pre-existing structural gender inequalities. It is, therefore, imperative to rebuild a better, gender-equal society for the future. This crisis has highlighted the roles of women in the health workforce, incl. as informal carers for vulnerable adults and children. The increase in gender-based violence has also come to the spotlight, due to lockdown measures, implemented to combat COVID-19, resulting in serious physical and mental harm, as well as socioeconomic damages. Furthermore, sexual and reproductive health rights have been particularly affected due to pre-existing barriers across Member-States placing additional strain on individuals and systems. All these compounding factors also result in further limiting access to leadership positions for women. This roundtable aims to capture the perspective of our interdisciplinary panelists from leading European and global institutions to comprehensively map the needs, priorities, and key action areas of public health, in order to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls across the globe.

Objectives
Assess the roles of women in the health workforce, to highlight gender inequalities, and to discuss regional differences across the European Region; Present and discuss the new Gender Equality Index 2021 (to be released end of Oct 2021), which will focus on health in relation to gender equality, covering mental health, sexual and reproductive health and pandemics of communicable diseases, and in particular of COVID-19; Combine the perspective of academia, multilateral bodies, practitioners and NGOs, for concerted action to combat the increase in sexual and domestic violence, and to Bridge disparities and overcome barriers to gender-sensitive health and social care services for all women, incl., migrant and refugee populations.
The roundtable brings together for the first time EUPHA, WHO, UN Women, and of the European Institute for Gender Equality, in a joint effort for European and global public health, to support our workforce and safeguard the future. Mindful of the role women in health and social care, we also include panelists from the International Confederation of Midwives and from NGOs working in the field of combating violence against women.

Speakers/Panelists
Carlien Scheele European Institute for Gender Equality, Vilnius, Lithuania Alia El Yassir UN Women, Istanbul, Turkey Victoria Vivilaki International Confederation of Midwives, Den Haag, Netherlands Iveta Nagyova PJ Safarik University, Department of Social and Behavioural Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia Pille Tsopp-Pagan Women against Violence Europe Network, Vienna, Austria

Key messages
We need to join forces to fight sexual and domestic violence, as major public health threats globally, considering their worsening during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women account for the majority of caregivers and healthcare workers, especially nurses, explore the untapped potential of midwives, and step up efforts to strengthen protection and support.