A tool for strengthening gender-sensitive national HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health (‎‎‎SRH)‎‎‎ monitoring and evaluation systems

Overview

While gender inequality affects many health conditions and outcomes, nowhere is it more pronounced than in matters of sexuality and reproduction. Gender inequality influences the ability of women and girls to exercise control and autonomy when it comes to matters of their own sexuality (for example, choosing sexual partners, deciding when to have sex, refusing sex, engaging in safe sex) and reproduction (for example, deciding to or not to have children, using contraception and protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV). Hence, programmes and policies to address the health of women and girls, particularly their sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV status, must be informed by evidence and address gender inequality.

This tool is intended to be used, first and foremost, by monitoring and evaluation and/or health information management officers involved with national HIV or SRH M&E systems, as well as in SRH or HIV programmes at the sub-national level (for example, at the district level, individual projects, community-based programmes, nongovernmental organization (NGO) programmes and interventions). However, it may also be relevant to other stakeholders who are familiar with the basics of M&E and who use HIV or SRH data for advocacy and for decision-making for policy and programmes (for example, researchers, academics, advocates and policy-makers).