Barbara Clow, Ann Pederson, Margaret Haworth‑Brockman, and Jennifer Bernier

The Advisory Committee oversaw the conceptualization and development of the guide, including co‑writing the introductory and concluding chapters as well as contributing to the writing and editing of the case studies. [...] This chapter summarizes the key developments and commitments in SGBA and defines the core concepts of “sex,” “gender,” “diversity” and “equity.” Through describing the foundations and development of SGBA, we can see the continuing evolution of the policy and scientific contexts – from their roots in women’s health to current concerns with gender and health and health equity. [...] Because of the numbers of people involved and the magnitude of the problems, taking action to improve gender equity in health and to address women’s rights to health is one of the most direct and potent ways to reduce health inequities and ensure effective use of health resources…[19,p8] Apparently the members of the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health agreed, because their final r. [...] This was the approach recommended by women’s health researchers during the design of CIHR.[23] With the creation of the Institute of Gender and Health within CIHR in 2001, Canada deliberately sought to sustain support for research and knowledge exchange on women’s health while nurturing the development of comparative research on women and men as well as the distinct field of men’s health. [...] We now have policies that not only enable, but require the use of sex‑ and gender‑based analysis in the development of health programs and strategies, in the use of public monies and in the funding of health research.