UNSW staff and student consultation: Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine

Please join us to discuss plans for the establishment of a national Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine. All UNSW staff and students are invited to attend this consultation session. Audience members will be able to ask questions and offer feedback during the session. 

The George Institute for Global Health and the Australian Human Rights Institute (UNSW), and Deakin University are the Centre founding partners. 

Background:

There is a long-standing assumption that medicine, and the research underpinning medical interventions, is gender neutral. However the important roles sex and gender have in risk, detection, treatment and recovery is being uncovered for many major diseases.

Despite this, many research studies do not take sex and gender into account, leading to substantial evidence gaps.

The Sex and Gender Policies in Health and Medical Research project led in partnership by the Australian Human Rights Institute and The George Institute for Global Health, focuses on the understanding, promotion and development of policies for sex and gender sensitive research across the health and medical research ecosystem within Australia. We examine what policies exist, the barriers and facilitators to developing and implementing such policies, provide examples of existing policies and show how to incorporate sex and gender policies across the spectrum of health and medicine.

This research and the development of policies incorporating sex and gender disaggregated research data will help ensure that Australian health research and science continues to be world leading, will provide better healthcare outcomes for all Australians, and will demonstrate a reduction in the economic health burden on Australia’s economy. 

Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine:

Australia is the one of the only counties undertaking extensive research in this area that does not have a dedicated national home for sex and gender in medicine and health. With increasing activity and interest in this space, it is crucial to establish a dedicated centre for this work, to coordinate efforts and lead the way for Australia to ensure good practice and inclusive research. 

The proposed Centre currently involves a partnership between The George Institute for Global Health and the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW, and Deakin University, and builds on many years of both research and policy work on sex and gender in health and medicine, by the collaborators.  We believe our plans will likely be of interest to a broader range of academics and other stakeholders and we invite your involvement. 

Centre vision: To ensure that sex and gender are routinely considered in health and medical research, policy, and practice, with a view to improving health outcomes and reducing health inequities for all Australians. 

The Centre will: 

• Undertake and support the conduct of high-quality research.  
• Facilitate the translation of research into evidence-informed policies and practices.  
• Build capacity in addressing sex and gender health and medical inequities, via training and education. 
• Communicate and advocate for the integration of sex and gender in health and medicine.
• Engage and collaborate with end-users/consumers and other stakeholders to advance culturally appropriate activities. 

Explore the draft consultation Centre vision and objectives document here. 

Read about the benefits of joining the Centre here. 

We look forward to you joining us for the consultation session to hear more about the Centre, and we welcome all feedback.