In 2024, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) completed a comprehensive evaluation of the integration of gender equality in its technical cooperation. This evaluation, conducted by an independent external team between February and November 2024, used both in-person and remote data collection methods and covered the entire Region of the Americas. The main objective was to assess the extent to which gender equality has been incorporated into PAHO's technical cooperation and to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of these efforts in promoting gender equality in the Americas. The evaluation served both a summative (accountability) and formative (learning) purpose. It sought to provide insights, conclusions, and recommendations to improve PAHO's ongoing efforts to integrate gender equality into health initiatives and to inform the development of PAHO's Strategic Plan 2026-2031.

With a broad geographic scope across the Region, the evaluation included in-depth studies in Colombia, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as less detailed analyses in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay. This approach allowed for a nuanced understanding of the diverse regional, subregional, and national contexts in which PAHO has been working. The evaluation focused on actions taken between 2005 and 2023, reflecting PAHO's long-term commitment to gender equality, as outlined in the 2005 Gender Equality Policy and subsequent strategic plans from 2008 to 2023. The methodology combined analysis of contributions, theory of change, interviews, and online staff surveys, ensuring a comprehensive assessment and understanding of the Organization's efforts in this area.