abstract: 'This article presents evidence supporting the hypothesis that promoting

  gender equality and women''s and girls'' empowerment (GEWE) leads to

  better health and development outcomes. We reviewed the literature

  across six sectors-family planning (FP); maternal, newborn and child

  health (MNCH); nutrition; agriculture; water, sanitation and hygiene;

  and financial services for the poor-and found 76 studies from low and

  middle-income countries that met our inclusion criteria. Across these

  studies, we identified common GEWE variables that emerged repeatedly as

  significant predictors of sector outcomes. We grouped these variables

  into 10 thematic categories, which we termed `gender-related levers''.

  These levers were then classified by the strength of evidence into

  Wedges, Foundations and Facilitators. Wedges are gender-related levers

  that had strong associations with improved outcomes across multiple

  sectors. They include: `control over income/assets/resources'',

  `decision-making power'' and `education''. Elements of these levers

  overlap, but combined, they encapsulate agency. Increasing female agency

  promotes equality and broadly improves health and development for women,

  their families and their communities. The second classification,

  Foundations, displayed strong, positive associations across FP, MNCH and

  nutrition. Foundations have a more proximal relationship with sector

  outcomes and include: `equitable interpersonal relationships'',

  `mobility'' and `personal safety''. Finally, the third group of levers,

  Facilitators, was associated with improved outcomes in two to three

  sectors and include: `access to information'', `community groups'', `paid

  labour'' and `rights''. These levers make it easier for women and girls to

  achieve their goals and are more traditional elements of development

  programmes. Overall, gender-related levers were associated with

  improvements in a variety of health and development outcomes.

  Furthermore, these associations were cross-sectoral, suggesting that to

  fully realize the benefits of promoting GEWE, the development community

  must collaborate in co-ordinated and integrated ways across multiple

  sectors. More research is needed to identify the mechanisms by which

  gendered interventions work and under what circumstances.'
affiliation: 'Levy, JK (Corresponding Author), WUSTL, Campus Box 1196,1 Brookings
  Dr, St Louis, MO 63140 USA.

  Taukobong, Hannah F. G.; Kincaid, Mary M.; Levy, Jessica K.; Bloom, Shelah S., Iris
  Grp, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 USA.

  Levy, Jessica K., Washington Univ, George Warren Brown Sch Social Work, St Louis,
  MO 63105 USA.

  Bloom, Shelah S., Univ N Carolina, Dept Maternal \& Child Hlth, Gillings Sch Global
  Publ Hlth, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA.

  Platt, Jennifer L., Thrive 4-7, Morrisville, NC 27560 USA.

  Henry, Sarah K.; Darmstadt, Gary L., Stanford Univ, Dept Pediat, Sch Med, Stanford,
  CA 94305 USA.'
author: Taukobong, Hannah F. G. and Kincaid, Mary M. and Levy, Jessica K. and Bloom,
  Shelah S. and Platt, Jennifer L. and Henry, Sarah K. and Darmstadt, Gary L.
author-email: JLevy@irisgroupinternational.com
author_list:
- family: Taukobong
  given: Hannah F. G.
- family: Kincaid
  given: Mary M.
- family: Levy
  given: Jessica K.
- family: Bloom
  given: Shelah S.
- family: Platt
  given: Jennifer L.
- family: Henry
  given: Sarah K.
- family: Darmstadt
  given: Gary L.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1093/heapol/czw074
eissn: 1460-2237
files: []
issn: 0268-1080
journal: HEALTH POLICY AND PLANNING
keywords: 'Agency; agriculture; development; empowerment; family planning; gender;

  maternal and child health; nutrition; public health; water'
keywords-plus: 'INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE; CHILD HEALTH; DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES;

  REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH; NUTRITIONAL-STATUS; MATERNAL AUTONOMY; DOMESTIC

  VIOLENCE; CONTRACEPTIVE USE; RURAL BANGLADESH; FIELD EXPERIMENT'
language: English
month: DEC
number: '10'
number-of-cited-references: '104'
orcid-numbers: Darmstadt, Gary/0000-0002-7522-5824
pages: 1492-1514
papis_id: 9ef554c1c4083c8fe91654409f47c5e8
ref: Taukobong2016doesaddressing
researcherid-numbers: 'Darmstadt, Gary/AAU-7488-2020

  '
tags:
- relevant
- review
times-cited: '63'
title: Does addressing gender inequalities and empowering women and girls improve
  health and development programme outcomes?
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000390207100016
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '55'
volume: '31'
web-of-science-categories: Health Care Sciences \& Services; Health Policy \& Services
year: '2016'