In a new joint publication reviewing progress across the world on men’s health, the EMHF has called on the EU to back more research and show greater sensitivity to men's health at policy level.
Men’s Health Around the World: a review of policy and progress across 11 countries, which was to be launched at the World Congress on Men's Health in Vienna this month, was coordinated by EMHF director Erick Savoye and David Wilkins, the policy officer of EMHF member, the Men’s Health Forum England and Wales (MHF). The publication looks at the state of men’s health and the varying government responses in Australia, Canada, Denmark, England & Wales, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, Switzerland and the USA. It begins with an introduction by David Wilkins and concludes with an overview of men’s health in Europe by Erick Savoye.
Bringing together these snapshots from across the world gives an invaluable overview of the state of play in men’s health internationally at the end of 2009. Erick Savoye warmly thanks the various authors for their ‘contributions, time and dedication to this landmark document which will contribute to the enhancement of the public policy profile of men’s health not only in the countries featured but in others at different places along the road to gender mainstreaming in health.
‘Our special thanks goes particularly to the MHF and to David Wilkins, who had the laborious task of coordinating this project. Without him, this project would have never seen the light of day.’
In his concluding chapter, Erick Savoye argues that while 'political will to take account of gender as a health determinant in policy clearly exists at the highest levels of EU institutions, gender sensitivity remains relatively absent from policy development and implementation'. He concludes that ‘additional research in men’s health is urgently needed to support future health policy improvements and to accelerate the development of good practice across Europe’ and calls on the EU Commission to play a coordinating role.