Gender in One Health: FAO Virtual Learning Centers’ contribution to inclusive capacity development

As awareness of gender disparities grows across various fields, including human, environmental, and animal health, gender mainstreaming emerges as a cornerstone for promoting distributional equity and sustainable development. 
Frontline service providers operating under the One Health approach play crucial roles in supporting women and men farmers. However, to effectively do so, they require skills and strategies for situational awareness and analysis. Recognizing this need, the FAO Virtual Learning Centers (VLCs) prioritize integrating gender considerations into the training pathways of One Health service providers.

Why focus on women farmers?
Women farmers represent an important target group for implementing One Health approaches at the grassroot level. Their multiple responsibilities, including livestock management and domestic duties like food preparation, put them at high risk for food and animal-borne diseases. Yet, it also positions them as potential catalysts for improving livestock health, household health, and family nutrition. 

Notably, in Africa, more than 91 million people suffer from foodborne diseases annually, resulting in an estimated 137,000 deaths, many of which could be prevented through simple food safety measures such as boiling raw milk. This underscores the potential of rural women to drive change in One Health: the activities they are involved in are central to sustaining livelihoods and require knowledge on the topic of food safety and zoonotic diseases. However, globally, women receive only 5% of agricultural extension services and may have limited opportunities to reduce disease exposure or transmission compared to men. Building the capacity of frontline One Health service providers to incorporate gender considerations is critical for bridging this information gap. 

Approaches through the Female Leadership in One Health course
To empower women to act as agents of change, VLCs engage service providers and build networks for disseminating One Health concepts where they are most needed. The Female Leadership in One Health course was developed for this purpose, equipping health workers with the skills required to become One Health leaders, promote gender equality, and drive sustainable change within their communities. This course consists not only of theoretical concepts on gender and One Health but also practical guidance for service providers on communicating with farmers about these issues and addressing gender-based violence. All topics covered in the training were identified through a needs assessment, using an evidence-based and demand-driven approach.

The West Africa edition of the course, held between November and December 2023 in Nigeria’s Oyo and  Kaduna states, comprised both online and face-to-face components. Conducted in English, the course was open to veterinarians, veterinary paraprofessionals, medical doctors, nurses, or community health workers based in West Africa. 
A new online version of the course was delivered for East Africa, and VLCs are also translating the course into French to enhance outreach and accessibility. This customization reflects varying regional needs, and evaluating the impact will provide insights into the full potential of the Female Leadership course and may pave the way for further initiatives.
In addition to the course, VLCs are integrating the Gender-Sensitive Livestock Service Delivery module into several of their courses – including the one mentioned above. In total, 880 women and men animal health service providers in Sub-Saharan Africa completed the module, with 305 also participating in face-to-face sessions.