Family and Gender Programme

Comprehensive Family Immunisation

Promotes and coordinates technical cooperation and partnerships with the private and public sectors and the international community in order to support the efforts of the countries to achieve sustainable and equitable reduction of morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases. This is done through control and elimination strategies and the strengthening of national immunization programs.

• Supports the development of strategies to engage families and communities in promoting adequate immunization throughout the life course, depending on the age and sex of their members.
• Assists countries to strengthen their vaccination programs and the epidemiological surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases in order to improve the capacity of national diagnostic laboratories and strengthen regional networks of laboratories.
• Promotes the political prioritization and sustainability of vaccination programs through the strengthening of legislation and creation of fiscal space for the introduction of new vaccines.
• Generates key epidemiological data on disease burden and the cost-effectiveness of interventions in order to promote decision-making in relation to current vaccination programs and the introduction of new vaccines.
• Ensures the timely supply of quality vaccines.

Healthy Life Course

Supports the efforts of the countries to develop and implement policies, plans, programs and health interventions integrated within the life course approach for the comprehensive health care of individuals and their families by establishing partnerships with the public and private sectors, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), religious organizations and community networks. HL promotes public policies that favour healthy behaviours and habits throughout the span of the life course, as well as the prevention of disability, including blindness and avoidable visual impairment.

In accordance with the Strategy and Plan of Action for Integrated Child Health, and with a strong emphasis on community and family involvement, HL promotes the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies, strategies and inter-sectoral programs within the countries, including early childhood development, the promotion of breastfeeding, complementary feeding practices, micronutrient supplementation, the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Strategy, the improvement of oral health, and the detection and treatment of refractive defects.

• Provides technical cooperation to promote the healthy development of adolescents and youth, with a strong emphasis on community and family involvement.
• Promotes healthy lifestyles and active aging through public policies that promote risk reduction, optimal nutrition, mental health awareness, diet, physical activity and the provision of comprehensive health services from a life course approach.

Women, Reproductive, Perinatal and Neonatal Health

• Provides technical cooperation to the countries to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and men.
• Supports the efforts of the countries in advancing the provision of integrated and holistic care to reduce maternal, perinatal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality.
• In response to the requirements of the resolutions adopted by the Governing Bodies, strengthens national surveillance programs for maternal and perinatal health by strengthening improving capabilities and ensuring the availability of strategic information through the utilisation of the Perinatal Information System.
• Promotes clinical, epidemiological, and health services for sexual, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, and perinatal health, and implements cost-effective and evidence-based interventions.

Gender and Cultural Diversity

The Gender and Cultural Diversity unit provides technical co-operation to AHO’s technical areas and governments to promote gender and ethnic equality and advance human rights and bioethics. GD promotes the development of health policies, plans, programs and legislation that guarantee access to quality health care, participation in decision-making and equitable resource allocation.

The goal of AHOs Gender Equality Policy is to contribute to the achievement of gender equality in health status and health development and to actively promote equality between women and men.