5.4. Gender and Health The universal recognition that gender inequalities are responsible for most of the health issues and that poor health and HIV and AIDS delivery system impacts negatively more on women than men. There is therefore growing commitment among stakeholders in the health sector that strategies to improve health delivery should be gender focused if they have to positively impact on women’s lives and achieve gender equality. This policy aligns to this notion and to the commitment of stakeholders in the health sector by giving significance to the issues. Prioritising Gender and Health within this National Gender Policy will contribute to the effective protection of the right to healthcare for the marginalised sex and the achievement of equality in health delivery. Policy Objective: To improve gender sensitivity in health service delivery. Policy Strategies i. Popularise and conscientise women and men on the new constitutional provisions for rights to health, food and shelter and other provisions that impact on efforts to achieve gender equality in health and HIV and AIDS treatment. ii. Institute a system to track gender inequalities in health delivery, conduct gender audits and regularly advise on programming priorities achieve gender equality in the sector iii. Advocate for increased budget allocation for financing gender responsive policies and programmes in the health sector and in national HIV and AIDS policies and strategies. iv. Advocate for gender responsive mechanisms to ensure universal and affordable access to health services for all and support affirmative action initiatives to address areas that have sharp gender disparities including initiatives that directly address problems that are specific to women such as sanitary facilities. v. Support efforts to develop relevant and robust national policies and strategies for addressing high levels of maternal; infant and child mortality and cancers in men and women. vi. Advocate for the appropriate recognition of work carried out by caregivers, the majority whom are women, and for the allocation of resources and psychological support for caregivers as well as promote the involvement of men in providing care work. 16