Gender & Equity

 Pakistani society is a unique blend of historical, ethnic and linguistic impressions on a diverse group of people from various backgrounds but largely connected through a common creed. Punjab being the most forward looking province also carries the largest portion of population. Punjab has a tradition-driven culture with religious overtones and therefore many practices and beliefs that actually create equity imbalances seem like natural and second nature to us. Not that Punjabis in particular and Pakistanis in general dwell in creating oppression and being oppressed, the weight of tradition and simple acceptance of longstanding paradigms make us less open to question what we are, what we do and how we do it? We just carry on doing things without realizing that there can and should be other ways and means of doing the same things which can as a lateral and perhaps more beneficial result, of producing immense gains in equity!

Systems-Oriented Health Investment Program (SOHIP), a project of the Punjab Health Department funded by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), is struggling to address gender-based inequities in the health systems and services in Punjab as a cross-cutting theme in its main focus on strengthening health management and accountability systems for health. SOHIP has assisted the Punjab Health Department through establishing a Gender and Equity Advisory Group called JAAG (meaning ‘wake up!’).  Through JAAG SOHIP undertook the Gender Audit of Punjab Health Department and Department of Population Welfare, Punjab followed by a Gender Audit of Punjab Health Sector Reforms Program. SOHIP has also contributed to the development of capacity on Gender analysis and incorporation of Gender concerns in planning and budgeting both at the provincial and district levels within the health sector. Several conceptual products that SOHIP has presented to the Punjab Health Department as solutions to management, planning, budgeting, policy, health programs and pedagogy issues in health care provision and governance are gender-responsive and have been institutionalized.