Towards gender-transformative SRHR:a statement in reply to EUPHA and offer of a working definition

We welcome EUPHA’s1 statement on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and support their call to more gender-responsive social and public health infrastructure; in Europe and beyond. Drawing on UNDP’s2 definition, gender-responsive may be understood as policies and programmes that respond to existing gender inequities by promoting equal participation and share of health benefits. We agree with and support efforts to improve health services for women, girls, gender diverse and transgender individuals and join in their call to governments in Europe and beyond ensuring gender-justice in SRHR provision. In addition to EUPHA’s statement and call to action that argues for structural and regulatory reform from a global human rights perspectives, we suggest that a gender-responsive answer to the identified gap in SRHR could be helpfully complimented through a greater focus on and definitional clarity of gender-transformative approaches that takes a more ecological approach towards identifying levels on where and how social change happens.