Polio Gender Champions
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) recognizes that both gender responsive programming and organizational change are key to gender mainstreaming. Polio eradication interventions cannot effectively reach every last child unless informed by sex-disaggregated data and gender-sensitive analysis.
The Gender Champion for Polio Eradication is a concrete effort to build off of the current movement by high-level, national and international gender champions and to highlight the role of gender in achieving polio eradication, by committing to the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy and supporting its full implementation.
“The Australian Government is proud to announce its continued commitment to achieve a world free of polio. In doing so, we recognize the crucial role that women play at all levels in eradicating polio. We all must commit to working toward a world where women and children are free from discrimination, and the GPEI’s Gender Equality Strategy is a concrete step to reach gender equality and women’s empowerment.”
I support the GPEI Gender Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication.
I commit to:
• Advocate for women’s full and meaningful participation and leadership at all levels of the polio programme.
• Recognise the vital role of women as front line workers in the fight against polio in my engagement with partner governments and highlight the support they need to carry out their vital work safely and effectively.
Senator Hon Marise Payne, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women.
“The UK envisions a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases, but until every strain of polio is eradicated worldwide, no child is safe. The UK is at the forefront to support countries to deliver routine immunization and reach underserved zero-dose children. I am proud of the role UK aid plays, supporting over 450 million polio vaccinations a year.
Women are absolutely critical to the success of the polio programme; polio eradication will not be achieved unless we redouble our efforts to ensure women’s participation is maximized and that the polio programme connects with women in polio-affected communities. Beyond polio, this has the potential to provide women with greater social and economic opportunities. We need actions not just words, and I pledge to use my role to ensure that together we tackle gender-related barriers. Investing in disaggregating and analysing data by gender will be key, as will be ensuring close attention is paid to the protection and empowerment of frontline polio workers.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication.
I commit to:
- Use social media channels to raise awareness of the role of women in the fight against polio
- Hold an annual FCDO event to celebrate women in the frontline of tackling polio.
Wendy Morton, Minister of European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), UK
Other Gender Champions
“The progress the polio program has witnessed in the past years would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of courageous women who are dedicated to protecting children, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than ever before, we need to advocate for the adoption of gender-transformative policies and strengthen women’s leadership in health. Monaco is proud to support GPEI’s efforts towards gender equality.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Host an annual dialogue with Permanent Mission Representatives to expand the conversation around gender equality and health, including gender related barriers to immunization and polio eradication
• Acknowledge the role of women as front-line workers in polio eradication (and COVID-19)
“From the everyday choices about their children’s health to delivering life-saving health services and the big-picture decisions about strategies and resources, women can and must play a key role in every level of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Empowering women is not just a ‘nice to have’ in our efforts to end polio forever, it’s essential.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Increase women’s meaningful and equal participation and leadership at all levels of the GPEI
• Engage Member States to increase the efforts in global leadership on gender and health, including immunization
“We are closer than ever to ending polio. But pervasive challenges, included gender-related barriers, make this stage the most difficult yet. UNICEF is committed to overcoming every gender-related barrier that keeps children from the vaccinations they deserve. This is not only a matter of rights – but an important way to honour the courage and commitment of the army of polio workers and volunteers, mostly women, who are bravely working in the most under-served communities to educate families about polio, encourage vaccination, and delivering this lifesaving intervention to every child.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Engage with GPEI target countries for more gender-responsive programming
• Ensure that a commitment to gender equality is reflected across the performance evaluation systems of all of UNICEF’s senior managers involved in the polio eradication effort.
“The progress the polio programme has witnessed in the past years would not have been possible without the hard work and commitment of courageous women who are dedicated to protecting children and making polio history. Women are among the primary actors on the ground and they are able to overcome many visible and invisible barriers that hamper children from being vaccinated. We must always remember that our noble health causes and the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without the full involvement, representation and engagement of women at all levels of society.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Strengthen the collection and analysis of sex-disaggregated data and its integration into polio and immunization strategies and programming in the EMRO Region
• Raise gender within the Regional Sub-Committee on Polio
“Our ability to eradicate polio depends on our commitment to removing obstacles to women’s involvement in and ownership of eradication efforts. Women are at the forefront of the global struggle against polio – whether as caregivers, vaccinators, vaccine advocates and trusted leaders among affected populations, or as scientists, public health professionals and managers in the GPEI. CDC supports the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy and is committed to removing gender-related barriers to polio eradication and improving health outcomes for women and children worldwide.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Promote the integration of gender-responsive programming, operations, and decision-making within the GPEI
• Increase women’s meaningful participation and agency throughout the partnership, including at the management level
“In our joint efforts to eradicate polio and ensure we sustainably extend routine immunisation coverage for all children, we cannot ignore the gender related barriers to immunisation faced by caregivers and health workers. Gavi is committed to understanding these gender related barriers and tailoring inclusive service provision and demand promotion to the needs faced by different population groups.“
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Encourage programming of the Gavi country portfolio of support to mitigate, address, and overcome gender-related barriers to immunisation
• Include gender issues in official speeches, as well as briefings and presentations to staff, and regularly circulate materials related to gender and immunisation, including polio, with all staff, at all levels
“The polio eradication program has depended heavily upon women as vaccinators, educators, social mobilizers, subject-matter experts and decision-makers. The gains made in many countries in stopping the spread of polio are primarily because of the courage and commitment of these women. Applying a gender lens to all aspects of programming is vital to supporting women and communities and to achieving a polio-free world.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Take part in a GPEI milestone event to raise awareness of gender barriers in health service delivery, including immunization and polio programs
• Give visibility to the role of women in polio eradication and the importance of the gender responsive programming through social media
“The world has made remarkable progress to end polio, but success is not guaranteed. To address the final challenges to achieving a polio-free world we must not forget the fundamental role that women play in leading the final push to rid the world of polio. Most of the brave health workers who vaccinate children every day worldwide, sometimes in difficult and even dangerous conditions, are women. Many women are also key policy makers and program managers that drive the success of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Support and advocate for an adequate sex-disaggregated data collection throughout the GPEI
• Ensure that adequate budgets for gender expertise and capacity-building are provided, as well as for the sustained and consistent implementation of gender equality programming
“Thanks to the dedication and commitment of one of the world’s largest health workforces, the goal of a world free from polio is close. Women are among the primary actors on the ground in the global effort and their contribution is vital to reach the last mile in polio eradication. WHO is strongly committed to support the polio program’s efforts to mainstream gender into immunization through the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Raise awareness on the role of women engaged in polio eradication in the international fora through events and panel discussions, showcasing positive learnings and best practices of addressing gender-related barriers to immunization.
• Advocate for the introduction of a mandatory training on gender for all WHO staff by the end of 2020.
“Rotary International’s mission to eradicate polio globally is our top priority. As we work with our partners to apply innovative new strategies to reach more children, we must tackle gender-related barriers to eradication. I’m optimistic that the end of polio is within our grasp, but we must remain vigilant in rallying global political and financial support and mainstream gender in our strategies and actions as we push towards a polio-free world.”
I support the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy as a concrete effort to highlight the role of gender in polio eradication by committing to:
• Promote a workplace culture based on gender equality, including through trainings and awareness raising activities
• Ensure a balanced representation of women and men in official media and communications products, including web stories, videos, photo-essays and other communication pieces
