Upskilling VET institutions and healthcare professionals on promoting gender equality in healthcare provision

"<< Background >>The right to health is one of a set of internationally agreed human rights standards, and is inseparable or 'indivisible' fromthese other rights. However over the last years, gender inequity and gender bias in healthcare has been widely proven and studied.Gender eguity in healthcare is defined by WHO as the customized distribution of resources and opportunities across apopulation to ensure no subset of groups are at a particular disadvantage over others in achieving their maximum potential.Gender bias refers to the tendency to prefer one gender over another. Both of these phenomena are apparent in healthcareservices. Research has proven that women die consistently from cardiovascular disease at a higher rate than men, eventhough both genders respond to treatment the same way.Therefore, it’s safe to assume the increased danger for women lies in the response to their heart attacks, not in the heartattacks themselves. Furthermore, heart attacks often do not cause the same symptoms in women as they do in men. Thesymptoms can be much less painful and alarming in women. Another example is pain management.Women are diagnosed more with chronic pain, however many testimonies from women refer to the same pattern of theirpain ""no,<< Objectives >>The project was structured around four key work packages: Project Management, Capacity Building for VET Providers, a Gender-Sensitive VET Program for Healthcare Professionals, and Awareness-Raising Activities. Each work package was meticulously designed to enhance gender sensitivity among healthcare professionals, educators, and students, ensuring that gender perspectives are integrated into medical training and practice.Through research, training modules, pilot programs, and widespread dissemination efforts, EqualHealth sought to equip VET institutions and healthcare professionals with the tools needed to recognize and mitigate gender disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.<< Implementation >>Several activities were implemented across the 4 work packages. For WP1, it was then project management activities like handbook, monitoring guidelines, GANTT chart, meetings, budgeting, reporting, quality plan, and Staff Declarations. For WP2, Desk Research, Capacity Building Program modules and PIloting activities. For WP3, Training program for Healthcare Professionals, Self assessment tools, Piloting and Reporting. For WP4, Awareness raising activities, International Online event, Policy recommendation proposals, and Stakeholders meetings.<< Results >>The project also emphasized the importance of policy advocacy and stakeholder engagement to foster long-term systemic change. This report provides a comprehensive overview of the project’s achievements, challenges, and impact, demonstrating how its outcomes have contributed to a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system across Europe.The EqualHealth project delivered outstanding results across both qualitative and quantitative indicators, demonstrating its tangible impact. Quantitatively, the initiative engaged more than 100 students in training activities—surpassing the initial target of 90—while the eLearning platform attracted 198 unique visitors, far exceeding the anticipated 100 registrations.Qualitatively, participant satisfaction averaged 4.5/5, with over 90% of learners reporting significant skill enhancement in gender-sensitive healthcare practices. The project also produced 37 multilingual awareness resources and hosted 26 well-attended events, reaching 418 participants—tripling the original goal. These achievements reflect the project’s effectiveness in bridging theory with practice, fostering meaningful dialogue, and driving institutional change toward gender equity in healthcare."