Sorry for long off topic post, but as this is related to health policy, and as we have been discussing it - below are the different versions of the WHO definition of gender.
(changed at some point in 2020 according to Way Back machine/web archive)
There are some quite significant changes. For example the pre 2020 tex refers to binary sex categories and defines gender as what "society considers appropriate". It doesn't refer to gender identity, and I think is much more focused on the negative consequences of gender norms - apparently pre 2020 WHO was working to challenge gender stereotypes!
Post 2020, sex is "the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males and intersex persons, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs", so more of a pick and mix thing. There is no mention of stereotypes, and gender has become characteristics that are socially constructed, so the implication is that gender is not a set of expectations that are likely to be wrong, but a way to classify character traits. (As has been noted, rather suggesting that your gender changes as you travel).
Gender identity is now defined, and there is talk about increased risk of suicide.
There is now a paragraph on violence against women, but I think many of the things mentioned relate to sex, not gender.
Old text (pre 2020)
Gender refers to the roles, behaviours, activities, attributes and opportunities that any society considers appropriate for girls and boys, and women and men. Gender interacts with, but is different from, the binary categories of biological sex.
Gender has implications for health across the course of a person’s life in terms of norms, roles and relations. It influences a person’s risk-taking and health-seeking behaviours, exposure to health risks and vulnerability to diseases. Gender shapes everyone’s experience of health care, in terms of affordability, access and use of services and products, and interaction with healthcare providers.
Gender intersects with other factors that drive inequalities, discrimination and marginalization, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, age, geographic location and sexual orientation, among others.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment can improve health. Women and girls often face greater barriers to health information and services due to cultural gender norms such as economic dependence, patriarchal structures and a greater share and burden of domestic roles and responsibilities. They often have limited influence over resources within the household and in society, while having greater needs for services, such as reproductive services.
While it is important to address women’s specific health concerns, men are also faced with rigid gender norms associated with poor health outcomes. Traditional expectations of masculinity increase men’s vulnerability to serious health risks and make them less inclined to seek health care when needed. Gender diverse persons frequently face stigma and discrimination in the society and in health care settings. They are at greater risk for physical and sexual violence, and as a result have an increased risk for mental and physical ill-health.
WHO works to challenge gender stereotypes and combat gender inequality; identify and eliminate gender-related barriers to healthcare; and implement gender-responsive and -transformative programmes and policies to ensure health equity and universal health coverage.
New text (after 2020)
Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.
Gender is hierarchical and produces inequalities that intersect with other social and economic inequalities. Gender-based discrimination intersects with other factors of discrimination, such as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, disability, age, geographic location, gender identity and sexual orientation, among others. This is referred to as intersectionality.
Gender interacts with but is different from sex, which refers to the different biological and physiological characteristics of females, males and intersex persons, such as chromosomes, hormones and reproductive organs. Gender and sex are related to but different from gender identity. Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt, internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond to the person’s physiology or designated sex at birth.
Gender influences people’s experience of and access to healthcare. The way that health services are organized and provided can either limit or enable a person’s access to healthcare information, support and services, and the outcome of those encounters. Health services should be affordable, accessible and acceptable to all, and they should be provided with quality, equity and dignity.
Gender inequality and discrimination faced by women and girls puts their health and well-being at risk. Women and girls often face greater barriers than men and boys to accessing health information and services. These barriers include restrictions on mobility; lack of access to decision-making power; lower literacy rates; discriminatory attitudes of communities and healthcare providers; and lack of training and awareness amongst healthcare providers and health systems of the specific health needs and challenges of women and girls.
Consequently, women and girls face greater risks of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, cervical cancer, malnutrition, lower vision, respiratory infections, malnutrition and elder abuse, amongst others. Women and girls also face unacceptably high levels of violence rooted in gender inequality and are at grave risk of harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, and child, early and forced marriage. WHO figures show that about 1 in 3 women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
Harmful gender norms – especially those related to rigid notions of masculinity – can also affect boys and men’s health and wellbeing negatively. For example, specific notions of masculinity may encourage boys and men to smoke, take sexual and other health risks, misuse alcohol and not seek help or health care. Such gender norms also contribute to boys and men perpetrating violence – as well as being subjected to violence themselves. They can also have grave implications for their mental health.
Rigid gender norms also negatively affect people with diverse gender identities, who often face violence, stigma and discrimination as a result, including in healthcare settings. Consequently, they are at higher risk of HIV and mental health problems, including suicide.