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Addressing gender bias in sexual and reproductive health care: A scoping review of training tools and interventions

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Gender norms and bias influence how health workers interpret and deliver sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services, contributing to stigma, discrimination, and inequities in care. This scoping review aimed to map training tools and educational interventions designed to strengthen health workers' competencies and address gender bias in SRHR care. This scoping review followed the Arksey and O'Malley framework and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Searches were conducted across multiple databases and organizational websites for literature published between 2000 and November, 2025. Eligible records included manuals, curricula, toolkits, and educational interventions targeting health workers and addressing gender norms, bias, values, or stigma in SRHR care. Data were extracted and synthesized using descriptive and narrative approaches. A total of 128 sources were included, comprising 25 toolkits/manuals and 103 intervention reports representing 100 unique intervention approaches. Together, they covered diverse SRHR domains and used multi-component pedagogical approaches, including didactic instruction (98.4%), reflective or values-based learning (83.2%), and experiential methods such as role-play, simulation, and case-based learning (92%). Most interventions emphasized equitable, person-centered care (98.4%) and 68.8% incorporated gender-transformative elements, while 74.4% included system-level components. Across the mapped literature, gender-transformative and system-level approaches were incorporated to varying degrees, reflecting variability in their integration across educational interventions. Overall, the review highlights the breadth and characteristics of existing training approaches and identifies opportunities for greater integration of gender-transformative and system-level strategies in future SRHR training and evaluation.

Source: PLoS ONE

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0359704