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Public policy challenges in light of the care crisis: The impact of the pandemic on households with children and adolescents led by women

Guzmán M. National Directorate for Economy, Equality and Gender and UNICEF (2021) C_UNICEF

The crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated preexisting structural economic inequalities, and had a disproportionate impact on informal workers, especially on women and young people, who lost jobs and income. The situation was even more difficult for single-parent households led by women,... more

Brazil‘s Social Policy Response to Covid-19: Healthcare and Poverty Alleviation

Massard da Fonseca, E.; Arantes Beatriz, L. B.; Portella, C. Global Dynamics of Social Policy; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (2022) CC

During the pandemic, Brazil has provided its citizens with support in the areas of long-term care and disability, the labor market, social assistance, education, and pensions. This report focuses on two social policy areas, health-care and family be... more

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WHO policy brief: COVID-19 testing, 14 September 2022

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the challenges countries face for maintaining their COVID-19 response while addressing competing public health challenges, conflicts, climate change and economic crises. It remains critical for national programmes to continue to offer testing for COVI... more

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WHO COVID-19 policy brief: building trust through risk communication and community engagement, 14 September 2022

World Health Organization WHO (2022) C_WHO

The guidance notes describe key actions that policy-makers at national and subnational levels can take in relation to: diagnostic testing for COVID-19, clinical management of COVID-19, meeting targets for vaccination against COVID-19, maintaining in... more

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Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Policy 2017-2022

United Nations Population Fund UNFPA, Ministry of Health Malawi Ministry of Health Malawi (2017) CC

The revision of the SRHR Policy is based on the results of the analysis of the implementation process of the past policy, which has provided evidence to ensure that the revised ... is relevant and effective. The revision has also been done with the participation of all national stakeholders who have also international experience on SRHR issues. The Ministry urges all public and private institutions to use this policy as a guide in the implementation of SRHR services in the country. more

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OCHA Policy Brief on Gendered Drivers, Risks and Impacts of Food Insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2023) CC

It is widely understood that the food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is one of the world’s fastest growing and most neglected crises. It lacks sufficient global focus, resources and urgency. As in so many crises, women and girls are disproportionately affected and shoulder t...he consequences of protracted neglect, with unconscionable impacts on their safety, life chances and agency. Gaining a holistic view of the gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is difficult. This is due to a lack of data and prioritization, and the large geographical and socioeconomic terrain covered by both regions. However, what we do know about this crisis is more than enough to urgently address the needs of women and girls. An OCHA discussion paper on this topic (which will be published imminently, and from which this policy brief is drawn) found that there is: A strong risk of profound regression in gender equality gains made to date in the countries of concern, including on education, sexual and reproductive health, and the economic independence of women and girls (with knock-on effects on broader humanitarian and development outcomes). An increasing challenge to reverse what must be recognized as a protracted and growing gender-based violence (GBV) emergency in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa. The food insecurity crisis in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa is protracted, multidimensional and highly gendered, with spiralling impacts on gender equality and food security outcomes. It is driven by interwoven and overlapping factors, including climate change, political instability, conflict, socioeconomic conditions, migration and displacement and, more recently, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine. Interlinked with these factors are gendered structural drivers of food insecurity, including deeply entrenched gender inequalities and harmful social norms. Gendered risks and impacts of food insecurity include alarming limitations on access to education, sexual and reproductive health rights, women’s agency and participation, and dramatic increases in different existing forms of GBV and the emergence of new ones. Recognition of such gendered dimensions of food insecurity and of the need for a multisectoral approach in the response is key to addressing the crisis, along-side sustained commitment and adequate allocation of resources. This policy brief draws out key findings from the OCHA discussion paper on this topic, which includes a desk review of studies, assessments and reports, and interviews with local women’s organizations on the front lines of the food insecurity crisis in communities across both regions. Below are the most pressing gendered drivers, risks and impacts of food insecurity (not in order of priority), as well as key gaps in the current humanitarian response to food insecurity, and recommendations to take forward. more

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Infrastructure, policy and regulatory interventions to increase physical activity to prevent cardiovascular diseases and diabetes: a systematic review

Durão, S.; Burns, J.; Schmidt, B. et al. BMC Public Health (2023) CC

Background Noncommunicable diseases are major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Modifying the risk factors for these conditions, such as physical inactivity, is thus essential. Addressing the context or circumstances in which physical activity occurs may promote physical activity a...t a population level. We assessed the effects of infrastructure, policy or regulatory interventions for increasing physical activity. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase and clinicaltrials.gov to identify randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled before-after (CBAs) studies, and interrupted time series (ITS) studies assessing population-level infrastructure or policy and regulatory interventions to increase physical activity. We were interested in the effects of these interventions on physical activity, body weight and related measures, blood pressure, and CVD and type 2 diabetes morbidity and mortality, and on other secondary outcomes. Screening and data extraction was done in duplicate, with risk of bias was using an adapted Cochrane risk of bias tool. Due to high levels of heterogeneity, we synthesised the evidence based on effect direction. Results We included 33 studies, mostly conducted in high-income countries. Of these, 13 assessed infrastructure changes to green or other spaces to promote physical activity and 18 infrastructure changes to promote active transport. The effects of identified interventions on physical activity, body weight and blood pressure varied across studies (very low certainty evidence); thus, we remain very uncertain about the effects of these interventions. Two studies assessed the effects of policy and regulatory interventions; one provided free access to physical activity facilities and showed that it may have beneficial effects on physical activity (low certainty evidence). The other provided free bus travel for youth, with intervention effects varying across studies (very low certainty evidence). Conclusions Evidence from 33 studies assessing infrastructure, policy and regulatory interventions for increasing physical activity showed varying results. The certainty of the evidence was mostly very low, due to study designs included and inconsistent findings between studies. Despite this drawback, the evidence indicates that providing access to physical activity facilities may be beneficial; however this finding is based on only one study. Implementation of these interventions requires full consideration of contextual factors, especially in low resource settings. more

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Making every school in the Region of the Americas a health-promoting school: Implementation guide for educational institutions

Pan American Health Organization PAHO (2024) CC

Every day, schools engage in numerous activities that help promote the health and well-being of students, families, and communities. There is clear evidence of the benefits of the health-promoting schools (HPS) approach, not only for improving overall health outcomes (physical, mental, and social) i... more

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Including disability in HIV policy and programming : good practices drawn from country-based evidence

Mac-Seing, M. (2014) C1

The purpose of this document is to share good practices and processes concerning the inclusion of disability issues in HIV policy and programming, drawing on specific experiences in Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda and Cambodia and on lessons learne... more

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Kenya National Pharmaceutcal Policy: 2008

Dr F Siyoi, Dr C Forshaw, Dr J Mbuva ,Dr M Thuo, Dr N Mucheru, Dr E Ominde-Ogaja, Dr R Mbindyo, Mrs R Kirika Minister for Medical Services (2008) C1

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Safe abortion: technical and policy guidance for health systems

World Health Organization (2012)

2nd edition. This new edition provides policy-makers, programme managers and health-service providers with the latest evidence-based guidance on clinical care. It includes information on how to establish and strengthen services, and outlines a human... more

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Networking for Policy Change A Participant’s Guide

Stop TB Partnership; World Health Organization; Constella Futures (2007) C_WHO

Networking for Policy Change: TB/HIV Participant’s Guide WHO/HTM/TB/2007.384b “TB is too often a death sentence for people with AIDS. It does not have to be this way.” -Nelson Mandela, International conference on HIV and AIDS, Bangkok, T... more

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Rwanda: Health Sector Policy

Ministry of Health, Rwanda (2015) C2

The Health Sector Policy gives general orientations for the sector which are further developed in the various sub-sector policies guiding key health programs and departments. All health sub-sector policies will be updated in line with this new .... The Health Sector Policy is the basis of national health planning and the first point of reference for all actors working in the health sector. The overall aim of this policy is to ensure universal accessibility (in geographical and financial terms) of equitable and affordable quality health services (preventative, curative, rehabilitative and promotional services) for all Rwandans. It sets the health sector’s objectives, identifies the priority health interventions for meeting these objectives, outlines the role of each level in the health system, and provides guidelines for improved planning and evaluation of activities in the health sector. A companion Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) elaborates the strategic directions defined in the Health Sector Policy in order to support and achieve the implementation of the policy, and more detailed annual operational plans describe the activities under each strategy. more

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Global Happiness Policy Report 2018

Sachs, J. D.; Dr. Bin Bishr, A; De Neve. J.-E.; et al. World Government Summit, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (2018) C2

Global Happiness Council

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Mental health policy in Eastern Europe: A comparative analysis of seven mental health systems

Dlouhy, M. (2014) CC

BMC Health Services Research 14(1):42 · January 2014 The objective of this international comparative study is to describe and compare the mental health policies in seven countries of Eastern Europe that share their common communist history: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Poland... more

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Mental health policy developments in Latin America

R.D. Alarcón & S.A. Aguilar-Gaxiola Bulletin of the World Health Organization (2000) C_WHO

New assessment guidelines for measuring the overall impact of mental health problems in Latin America have served as a catalyst for countries to review their mental health policies. Latin American countries have taken various steps to address long-standing problems such as structural difficulties, s... more

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A Path to Policy - A Blueprint for Community Engagement and Advocacy

M. Allen; E. McCloskey; J. M. Scofield et al. NASTAD (National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors) (2014) C2

Sept 2014 / nastad.org

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Antimicrobial resistance policy review and development framework

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO (2018) C2

A regional guide for governments in Asia and the Pacific to review, update and develop policies to address antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use in animal production

Handbook for national quality policy and strategy

World Health Organization WHO (2018) C_WHO

A practical approach for developing policy and strategy to improve quality of care The handbook outlines an approach for the development of national policies and strategies to improve the quality of care. Such ... and strategy can help clarify the structures, roles and responsibilities within national quality efforts, support the institutionalization of a culture of quality, and secure buy-in from health system leaders and stakeholders more

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Health workforce policy and management in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic response

World Health Organization WHO (2021) C_WHO

This guide is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese This guide consolidates COVID-19 guidance for human resources for health managers and policy-makers at national, subnational and facility levels to design, manage and ... more