Breaking Gender Barriers in Healthcare: A Scalable Model for Systemic Change

A targeted assessment in Tripoli paves the way for a global gender-sensitive checklist, reshaping how hospitals deliver inclusive care. 

June 18, 2022

Background 

Health systems often overlook the nuanced barriers that different genders face when seeking healthcare services. In Tripoli, Lebanon—a city contending with a rapidly growing population and limited resources—such barriers can be even more pronounced. Recognizing the critical need for actionable solutions, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) sought to develop a tool that would effectively identify and address gender-specific obstacles in hospital settings 

The Challenge 

From inadequate privacy measures to cultural stigmas around women’s health, the gender-related hurdles in healthcare can significantly impede care quality and accessibility. Yet, without a structured, evidence-based tools to assess these challenges, service providers struggle to implement meaningful, long-lasting reforms. 

 Our Approach 

Triangle partnered with AFD to create a user-friendly, comprehensive checklist that healthcare institutions could use to systematically evaluate and improve gender responsiveness in leadership and governance, financing, service delivery, healthcare workforce, and medical products and health technologies, including information systems. 

  • Checklist Development: Building on existing frameworks and indicators, we developed a practical, step-by-step toolkit to identify and address gender-related barriers in healthcare. The checklist covers key areas such as privacy protocols, signage, staff training, and policy enforcement. 
  • Contextual Assessment: Conducted detailed interviews and focus groups in Tripoli’s hospitals to validate the toolkit and understand specific local challenges, including patriarchal norms impacting women’s decision-making and biases in the treatment of marginalized groups. 
  • Action-Oriented Framework: Provided actionable recommendations and clear monitoring indicators to empower healthcare providers in tracking progress and driving continuous improvements. 
  • Scalable Institutional Tool: Lessons learned from the implementation in Tripoli informed broader healthcare strategies, with indications of potential uptake in other countries. While the extent of collaboration with AFD remains unclear, there is evidence of interest in scaling the tool globally. 

Results and Impact 

  • Global Implementation: The Tripoli-born checklist evolved into a scalable resource, now informing AFD’s gender mainstreaming approaches in healthcare facilities worldwide. 
  • Enhanced Inclusivity and Diversity: By focusing on specific, measurable criteria, hospitals can better serve all genders, including traditionally marginalized and underserved groups—improving overall healthcare access, utilization, and outcomes. 
  • Cross-Sector Adaptation: The success of this gender-sensitive framework in general healthcare settings led to its use in mental health and substance use projects, addressing well-being for women, men, boys, girls, and gender-nonconforming individuals across Lebanon. 

Looking Ahead 

By transforming real-world insights into a replicable, institution-friendly tool, this project demonstrates how local interventions can achieve global scale. With the new checklist embedded into AFD’s operations, hospitals and clinics can adopt targeted, gender-sensitive practices that leave no patient behind. Moving forward, Triangle will continue collaborating with partners to refine and expand these approaches—ensuring healthcare systems worldwide remain adaptable, inclusive, and prepared to meet diverse needs. 

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