The health and well-being of men in the WHO European Region: better health through a gender approach

ABSTRACT

With the adoption of the European policy framework for health and well-being, Health 2020 and of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, countries have committed to improving health and well-being for all, reducing inequalities and improving gender equality. Member States in the WHO European Region confirmed their commitment in 2016 with the adoption of the Strategy on Women’s Health and Well-being. To complement and reinforce action towards Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 5, the Strategy on the Health and Well-being of Men was presented at the 68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in September 2018. The WHO/Europe report “The health and well-being of men in the WHO European Region better health through a gender approach” provides background to the Strategy. The report offers an epidemiological overview of men’s health in the Region; examines the intersection between gender, social and economic, cultural, and environmental determinants of men’s health and well-being; improves understanding of how gender norms and roles, and intersections with other determinants of health, influence how health systems respond to men’s health needs; provides evidence of actions needed to engage men in achieving gender equality through readdressing the imbalance of paid and unpaid care, engaging men in preventing violence against women and encouraging shared responsibility for reproductive health; identifies governance mechanisms needed to improve men’s health and well-being, while contributing to gender equality.