Open AccessThe Case for the World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health to Address Gender Identity
Author(s) -
Frank Pega,
Jaimie F. Veale
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2014.302373
Subject(s) - commission , health equity , social determinants of health , identity (music) , social identity theory , health policy , gender identity , equity (law) , public relations , political science , sociology , medicine , public health , gender studies , psychology , social psychology , social group , law , nursing , physics , acoustics
We analyzed the case of the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health, which did not address gender identity in their final report. We argue that gender identity is increasingly being recognized as an important social determinant of health (SDH) that results in health inequities. We identify right to health mechanisms, such as established human rights instruments, as suitable policy tools for addressing gender identity as an SDH to improve health equity. We urge the World Health Organization to add gender identity as an SDH in its conceptual framework for action on the SDHs and to develop and implement specific recommendations for addressing gender identity as an SDH.