Influence of gender barriers and bottlenecks in the demand and supply of child immunization- A Secondary Research, UNICEF, 2023

Author - | Published - 2023

India has the highest rate of under-five mortality and 20% of which are attributable to vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), despite India being one of the top vaccine manufacturers. There are many key factors, which affect the healthcare utilization such as, physical, socio-economic, cultural, and political aspects. The secondary research brought out the following key areas, which need utmost attention in efforts towards improving child immunization coverage. On demand side, influence of cultural and gender norms on child upbringing as well as parents’ approach towards health-seeking practices based on child’s sex was observed. Along with this, gender dynamics also influence the health-seeking behaviours within the home. Additionally, physical barriers faced by mothers affect the utilization of health services including immunization. On the supply side, numerous challenges are faced by women service providers, in particular. The conducive environment to promote child immunization is missing as very few gender responsive policies and interventions to address gender barriers and bottlenecks in child immunization exist, as noticed during the secondary research.