Beyond the barriers: framing evidence on health system strengthening to improve the health of migrants experiencing poverty and social exclusion

Overview

Analysis of barriers and means to overcome them is central to equity-oriented, rights-based and gender transformative health system strengthening towards universal health coverage. Barriers are understood as those factors that hinder the target population from appropriate use of an offered health service or a social guarantee, thus diminishing effective coverage of a health service (Tanahashi, 1978; WHO, 2016b). Similarly, General Comment No. 14 on the right to health draws attention to four types of barriers in access: physical, financial, information and discrimination (UN, 2000; WHO, 2016b). It is important to note that there are gender-based and cultural capital-related barriers in access to and use of health services, which can intersect with other barriers (WHO, 2011a; WHO, 2016b; WHO, 2017e; Abel & Frohlich, 2012; WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2009)