Development of healthy public policy: feminist analysis of conflict, collaboration and social change.
In the past two decades, the need for economic restructuring has served as a rationale for dismantling social programs in Canada. As it has been enacted, such social restructuring has disproportionately affected marginalized people, particularly women. In this article we explore the schism between the principles that underlie the development of healthy public policy and those that are driving current social policy development. Through this analysis we discuss the implications of policy development that is based upon principles of inequity, and we suggest that implementation of healthy public policy requires transformational change in the underlying principles of the social system. A policy shift based upon principles of equity and social justice has been espoused throughout the health promotion literature. We suggest that such a shift will be facilitated by strengthening collaborative relations among points of conflict within society and among policy makers and women's organizations.
Scott
C M
CM
Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. cmscott@ucalgary.ca
Thurston
W E
WE
Crow
B
B
D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D011050:Policy Making; D012922:Social Change; D012935:Social Justice; D016387:Women's Health