Gender, health and the Sustainable Development Goals

Gender refers to the socially-constructed characteristics of women and men, in all their diversity, while sex refers to purely biological dif -ferences. Gender equality is sometimes understood narrowly as concerning only the differences between women and men. To achieve health and well-being for all, a more compelling and nuanced understanding of gender is needed.To respond to multiple gender in-equalities, we need to understand gender as a social and relational process rather than simply emphasizing the difference between women and men. An expanded understanding of gender and health, as shaped by economic, political and cultural relationships,