PATH’s mission is to advance health equity through innovation and partnerships. Central to this mission is gender equity, which requires fair treatment of all people regardless of sex, gender identity, or gender expression.

Language matters, and in addressing gender equity, consistent terminology is important. The definitions contained in this glossary can be used in describing PATH’s work in a variety of programmatic contexts, including proposals, implementation plans, and monitoring and evaluation activities.

The purpose of the document is to:

• Support global health workers in recognizing and understanding gender-related terms that are frequently used in health (and other sectors) programs.
  
• Contribute to a common interpretation and use of gender-related terms within and across PATH teams.
  
• Promote an informed application of gender-related terms in program initiatives and proposal development.