Towards a Feminist Global Health Policy: Power, intersectionality, and transformation

Area of Science:

• Global Health Policy
• Feminist Theory
• Health Equity Research

Background:

• Power dynamics and intersectionality are critical in global health policy, hindering the goal of health for all.
• Existing health policies often fail to address structural power hierarchies, necessitating transformational change.
• Feminist approaches, while gaining traction in development policy, are underemphasized in global health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a framework for a Feminist Global Health Policy (FGHP).
• To outline the objectives, principles, and responsible actors for FGHP implementation.
• To propose an alternative to current global health structures by centering intersectionality, power, and knowledge.

Main Methods:

• A participatory research approach aligned with feminist principles was used.
• Three independent online focus groups were conducted with 11 participants (global-academic and local-activist) across WHO regions (August-September 2022).
• Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze focus group data.

Main Results:

• The FGHP framework must prioritize intersectionality, power dynamics, and knowledge paradigms.
• The framework balances universal principles with context-specific adaptations for local and global applicability.
• Communities and policymakers are identified as key actors for advancing health equity and reproductive justice.

Conclusions:

• Dismantling power structures through intersectional and participatory approaches is crucial for a more equitable global health landscape.
• The FGHP framework aims to stimulate debate and collaborative work among diverse stakeholders.
• Achieving health equity requires continuous, collaborative effort to implement transformative policy changes.