Health policies with a gender perspective. Progress and retrogression in Catalonia

The elimination of health inequalities based on gender is part of the priorities of different international organizations for years. The incorporation of gender mainstreaming in health policies is the way to make it happen. However, developments in this respect are limited. This article exposes the progress and difficulties found in the development of gender perspective in the last 10 years. For this we have operationalized the concept of gender perspective applied to health policies and it has been analyzed its application in the regulations developed and professional practice. The article is focused on the case of Catalonia and includes both a documentary analysis and in-depth interviews with a selection of actors involved in the various moments of the performance of the health system. Our analysis shows that in Catalonia it began, from 2006, the way for the introduction of the gender perspective in health policies. However, different factors explain the decline finally produced.