Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in Nursing Education from the Perspective of the 2030 Agenda

Igualdad de Género y Empoderamiento Femenino en la Formación en Enfermería desde la Perspectiva de la Agenda 2030

ABSTRACT

Objectives:  to analyze the syllabuses of the mandatory subjects listed in the undergraduate nursing course pedagogical project regarding training for the 5^th Sustainable Development Goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Methods:  a qualitative, descriptive-analytical single case study that investigated the inclusion of the 5^th goal targets in the nursing curriculum of a public university in Amazonas. The data were subjected to Bardin’s content analysis. The emerging thematic axes were discussed in light of Bell Hooks and the Brazilian National Policy for Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare.

Results:  three thematic axes stood out: addressing violence against women; discussion on sexual and reproductive rights; representation of women in leadership roles.

Final Considerations:  analysis revealed gaps in the approach to gender equality in nursing training, requiring transversal integration of the 5^th goal targets to train professionals capable of addressing social inequities in accordance with the 2030 Agenda.

Descriptors:
Gender Equality; Empowerment; Nursing Education; Sustainable Development Goals; Curriculum.

RESUMO

Objetivos:  analisar as ementas das disciplinas obrigatórias elencadas no projeto pedagógico do curso da graduação em enfermagem quanto à formação para o 5º Objetivo de Desenvolvimento Sustentável sobre igualdade de gênero e empoderamento feminino.

Métodos:  estudo de caso único qualitativo, descritivo-analítico, que investigou a inserção das metas do 5º objetivo no currículo de enfermagem de universidade pública no Amazonas. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo de Bardin. Os eixos temáticos emergentes foram discutidos à luz de Bell Hooks e da Política Nacional de Atenção Integral de Saúde da Mulher.

Resultados:  evidenciaram-se três eixos temáticos: abordagem da violência contra a mulher; discussão sobre direitos sexuais e reprodutivos; representação da mulher em papeis de liderança.

Considerações Finais:  análise revelou lacunas na abordagem da igualdade de gênero na formação em enfermagem, exigindo integração transversal das metas do 5º objetivo para formar profissionais capacitados a enfrentar iniquidades sociais conforme a Agenda 2030.

Descritores:
Igualdade de Gênero; Empoderamento; Educação em Enfermagem; Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável; Currículo.

RESUMEN

Objetivos:  analizar los programas de estudio de las disciplinas obligatorias del proyecto pedagógico de la carrera de enfermería, en relación con la formación para el 5.º Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible sobre igualdad de género y empoderamiento de las mujeres.

Métodos:  estudio de caso único, cualitativo, descriptivo-analítico, que investigó la inclusión de las metas del 5.º Objetivo en el currículo de enfermería de una universidad pública del estado de Amazonas. Los datos se sometieron al análisis de contenido de Bardin. Los ejes temáticos emergentes se discutieron a la luz de Bell Hooks y la Política Nacional de Atención Integral a la Salud de la Mujer.

Resultados:  se destacaron tres ejes temáticos: abordaje de la violencia contra las mujeres; debate sobre los derechos sexuales y reproductivos; y representación de las mujeres en puestos de liderazgo.

Consideraciones Finales:  el análisis reveló deficiencias en el enfoque de la igualdad de género en la formación de enfermería, lo que requiere la integración transversal de las metas del quinto objetivo para formar profesionales capaces de abordar las desigualdades sociales de acuerdo con la Agenda 2030.

Descriptores:
Igualdad de Género; Empoderamiento; Educación en Enfermería; Objetivos De Desarrollo Sostenible; Plan de Estudios.

INTRODUCTION

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by member countries of the United Nations in 2015 as a global call for action to end poverty, protect the environment and climate, and ensure that by 2030 people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These goals should guide national policies and international cooperation activities, aiming to address its 17 global goals, which address the main development challenges faced by Brazil and the world(¹).

In this study, our focus will be on the 5^th SDG (SDG 5), which is based on the premise of achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls. This goal arose from the need to address persistent gender inequalities, in which women and girls continue to face violence, discrimination, low political participation, and wage inequality, factors that limit sustainable development, human rights, and social justice. Gender equality is recognized as essential for progress in all areas, from eradicating poverty to promoting health, education, and economic growth(²).

The fight for gender equality, women’s rights and the expansion of women’s healthcare beyond the reproductive period is due to the social participation of the feminist movement(³). This participation was fundamental for formulating and implementing comprehensive women’s healthcare, understanding women as citizens, with their diversity and their sexual and reproductive rights as human rights.

According to the Civil Society Light Report on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2023), only two targets have made any progress: target 5.5, which aims to ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making; and target 5.b, which aims to enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communication technologies, to promote the empowerment of women. On the other hand, the other targets showed setbacks(⁴). Therefore, Brazil is far from achieving SDG 5 targets by 2030(⁵).

Even with the advancement of women’s rights movements (citizenship, sexual and reproductive rights), the relationship of power and control over women persists not only in romantic relationships, but in society, at work and in academia. The difficulty of women’s advancement in the history of science is related to patriarchy maintenance, i.e., the predominance of machismo in science, as well as gender inequality, stereotypes about women’s social roles (domestic and reproductive work) and the lack of access to education and resources that make it possible to remain in science(⁶). Expanding opportunities, economic participation, political empowerment and conditions for women to remain in science, including in cases related to motherhood, represent measures that can contribute to reducing gender inequality(⁷,⁸).

Aligning SDGs with the Brazilian Health System (In Portuguese, Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS) demands can be a strategy for achieving and strengthening SUS guidelines together with the 2030 Agenda, based on the inclusion of objectives for planning government policies and programs(⁹). Furthermore, including SDGs in the education of competent, critical, reflective and active professionals who contribute to the process of transforming society may be the path to consolidating the objectives. The role of formal education on SDGs in undergraduate nursing curricula with a more integrated approach is highlighted as crucial to implement SDGs(¹⁰).

Pedagogical projects for undergraduate courses (PPCs) were created to meet the Brazilian National Curricular Guidelines (In Portuguese, Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais - DCNs) requirements. However, in order to make changes to improve the training process for nursing professionals, it is not enough to have DCNs and PPCs, as it is necessary to ensure the applicability and constant assessment of this process(¹¹). For this reason, it is essential that SDG content is included in nursing professionals’ training process, research, practice, and policy(¹²).

The Universidade do Estado do Amazonas (UEA) has played a strategic role in training healthcare professionals, especially those who work in the countryside. Amazonas is the largest state in terms of territorial extension, interconnected by a hydrographic network of more than 6 thousand kilometers, with great ethnic-cultural diversity and low population density(¹³). These and other peculiarities make it essential to prepare professionals capable of acting in the face of the challenges imposed, especially with regard to establishing sustainable practices, as envisaged by SDGs. There is an urgent need to include content on SDGs in training, research, practice, and policy(¹²).

Given the need for active participation by academia in contributing to SDGs, the guiding question for this study arises: has the undergraduate nursing course addressed “gender equality in women’s empowerment” in the training process for nurses at a public university in Amazonas? Studies from this perspective are scarce, especially in northern Brazil, which makes research on this topic necessary. We will use as a theoretical framework Bell Hooks’ works, who is a reference in studies of gender, race, class, and intersectionality, interfacing with the perspective of SDG 5(¹⁴). Furthermore, the Brazilian National Policy for Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare (In Portuguese, Política Nacional de Atenção Integral à Saúde da Mulher - PNAISM) will constitute the normative theoretical framework, since it was reformulated with the objective of promoting better living and health conditions for women, guaranteeing established rights, and expanding access to healthcare resources and services throughout the Brazilian territory, comprehensively and at its various levels of care(¹⁵,¹⁶).

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the syllabuses of the mandatory subjects listed in PPC of the undergraduate nursing course regarding training for SDG on gender equality and women’s empowerment at a public university in Amazonas.

METHODS

Ethical aspects

Ethical review and approval were waived for this study because it is documentary research, as defined by Resolution 510/2016. This resolution establishes rules applicable to research that uses public domain information and does not involve people(¹⁷,¹⁸).

Study design

This is a single case study with a qualitative, descriptive-analytical approach, based on Yin’s methodological assumptions(¹⁹), which allows us to investigate a contemporary concern in depth and in its real context. This approach was chosen due to the representative nature of the investigated institution and the need to understand how gender equality (SDG 5) is incorporated into the training process of nurses in their specific institutional context(²⁰).

Study setting

The selected case was the undergraduate nursing course at the UEA School of Health Sciences (UEA/ESA). The choice is justified because it is the largest multi-campus university in Brazil, with a social commitment to training human resources to work within the perspective of the singularities and specificities of the Amazon territory. Furthermore, the representativeness of this course in nursing education and its influence on healthcare in Amazonian contexts, which includes sociocultural issues related to gender equality, is emphasized.

Data source

The primary data source was the PPC of the undergraduate nursing course, which has been in effect since 2016 and focuses specifically on the syllabuses of mandatory subjects. The PPC presents the curriculum organized according to DCNs, Federal Nursing Council legislation, and internal legislation. The program aims to provide graduates with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to practice the profession, developing the ability to “think critically, analyze societal problems, and seek solutions”. The PPC also aims to identify the most prevalent health and disease situations and problems in the epidemiological context, particularly in the northern region, to enable timely intervention.

The data collection and analysis process included mandatory subjects from the course curriculum. This limitation is justified by the representativeness of the minimum set of knowledge that students should acquire throughout their academic education. Optional subjects and complementary research and extension activities were excluded from the scope of the investigation because students have discretionary control over them.

Data collection and organization

Mapping of all mandatory subjects present in the PPC, extraction of each subject’s syllabus and workload per semester, identification of syllabus content that aligns with SDG 5 targets, and organization of the data in a specific instrument for this study. The instrument included the following elements: subject name; subject code; workload; semester in which the subject is offered; syllabus; and the relationship with the SDG 5 targets, which were identified according to the following presence categories: 1. Contemplates; 2. Partially contemplates; and 3. Does not contemplate.

SDG 5 is subdivided into nine targets, namely: SDG 5.1: end all forms of discrimination against women and girls everywhere; SDG 5.2: eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation; SDG 5.3: eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilations; SDG 5.4: recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies, and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate; SDG 5.5: ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making; SDG 5.6: ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the ICPD and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences; SDG 5.a: ensure women have equal rights to economic resources and access to ownership and control over land, property, financial services, inheritance, and natural resources, all within the framework of national laws; SDG 5.b: enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communication technologies, to promote the empowerment of women; and SDG 5.c: adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels(¹).

Data analysis

The data were subjected to Bardin’s content analysis, according to the proposed steps of pre-analysis, material exploration and treatment of results with inference and interpretation(²¹). Two researchers conducted this process, which was then reviewed by the other authors of the study. The data were coded and categorized according to the nine targets of SDG 5. This allowed the researchers to draw inferences about the presence, absence, or tangential approach of the theme in the analyzed subjects. The analysis revealed three themes for discussion: the approach to violence against women, the discussion of sexual and reproductive rights, and the representation of women in leadership roles. The discussion of results was based on Bell Hooks’ theoretical contributions(²²-²⁴), a prominent author in discussions about the intersections of race, class, and gender in the perpetuation of systems of oppression and the construction of female identities. Additionally, the PNAISM, which establishes guidelines and objectives for providing comprehensive healthcare to women and promoting their autonomy, served as the normative reference for interpreting the findings(¹⁶).

RESULTS

The undergraduate nursing program at ESA/UEA consists of 46 mandatory subjects distributed over ten semesters. Up until the 8^th period, students are offered theoretical and practical classes. The 9^th and 10^th semesters offer internships in various settings and health institutions, providing undergraduates with the opportunity to reinforce their knowledge and hone the skills necessary for their professional training.

Upon analyzing the course syllabuses, it was determined that 14 of them cover themes related to SDG 5. While the courses do not directly address each goal, their program content contains themes that align with the objectives, enabling a deeper exploration of each goal. Table 1 shows the courses and goals identified by training period:

Table 1
Fifth Sustainable Development Goal targets identified in the nursing course subjects by period, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil, 2025 (N=14)

Period	Cod.	Subject	SDG 5 targets
1st	D1.3 D1.5 D1.7	Comprehensive healthcare Introduction to the history of nursing Sociology of health	SDG 5.1 SDG 5.5 SDG 5.1/5.c
2nd	D2.2	Ethics, bioethics and nursing legislation	SDG 5.6
3rd	D3.3	Nursing and patient safety	SDG 5.2
4th	D4.5	Psychology applied to health	SDG 5.2/5.6
5th	D5.1 D5.5	Health education Indigenous health	SDG 5.b SDG 5.1/5.2
7th	D7.1 D7.2	Nursing in the process of caring for the family’s and community’s health Nursing in the process of caring for women’s health	SDG 5.6 SDG 5.1/5.2/5.6/5.c
8th	D8.3	Nursing and health management	SDG 5.5
9th	D9.1	Supervised curricular internship I	SDG 5.2/5.6
10th	D10.1	Supervised rural curricular internship	SDG 5.1/5.2/5.6
		Supervised nursing curricular internship II	SDG 5.1/5.2/5.6

We found that some goals were cited more frequently in different semesters of training, while others were not mentioned at all. Figure 1 shows the goals identified for each period of the course.

Figure 1
Fifth Sustainable Development Goal targets by nursing course period

Based on this initial analysis, we discussed the thematic axes that emerged from the syllabi of subjects whose content offers possibilities for approaching the goal of deepening the discussion of this important objective, as presented below.

Approach to violence against women

SDG 5.2, which emphasizes the need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation, was the most frequently identified goal in the courses. This theme was identified in the syllabi of eight courses in six different periods of the nursing program (D3.3, D4.5, D5.1, D7.1, D7.2, D9.1, D10.1, and D10.2). The content discusses public policies in various areas and nursing care in situations of violence against women. The syllabi are provided below:

[...] violence and the female gender. Chronic and acute diseases and gender. Empowerment and gender ethnodevelopment. Patient safety. (D7.2)

[...] family health. Primary healthcare. [...] experience report on the situations experienced in the municipalities. (D10.1)

Approach to sexual and reproductive rights

The second most-cited goal is SDG 5.6, which deals with “ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights”. D2.6, D4.5, D7.1, D7.2, D9.1, D10.1, and D10.2 address users’ rights autonomy, mental health practices during the pregnancy-puerperal cycle, and primary healthcare programs and strategies, as well as sexual and reproductive rights. These approaches are presented in some summaries:

[...] Systematization of Nursing Care in primary healthcare. Actions, programs and strategies in primary healthcare. Patient safety. (D7.1)

[...] development of technical-scientific skills and abilities, [...] in women’s health, neonatal, child and adolescent health and collective health, with emphasis on preventive, therapeutic and rehabilitation aspects; [...]. Systematized actions in Basic Health Units and Hospital Inpatient Units. Home visits, educational actions in the community, schools and organized groups in urban areas. (D9.1)

Approach to women in leadership roles

Regarding SDG 5.5, which aims to “ensure the full and effective participation of women and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic, and public life”, the nursing course includes themes on social participation, nursing as a social practice, leadership, communication, and decision-making through D1.3, D1.5, D5.5, and D8.3. These themes meet SDG 5:

[...] historical evolution of nursing in the world, in Brazil and in Amazonas. Nursing structuring bodies. Curricular guidelines for the nursing course. Work process in nursing. Nursing as a social practice [...]. (D1.5)

[...] planning, organization, management and control of nursing services. Functions of the nurse and their performance in nursing and multidisciplinary teams. [...] management of nursing services. Total quality in nursing services. Administration of human and material resources in primary, medium and high complexity care. Nursing auditing and consultancy. Planning and control of institutional resources. Decision-making. [...] leadership and communication. [...]. (D8.3)

Fifth Sustainable Development Goal targets not identified in the nursing course

Based on the presented data, the following training gaps stand out in relation to the targets: SDG 5.3, which aims to eliminate harmful practices such as child, early, and forced marriage, as well as female genital mutilation; SDG 5.4, which aims to recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies, as well as promote shared responsibility within the home and family according to national contexts; and SDG 5.a, which aims to carry out reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land, financial services, inheritance, and natural resources, in accordance with national laws. It is important to note that all of these targets are significant for discussion in the training of future nurses.

It is noteworthy that, in the subjects surgical nursing in the process of caring for adult and elderly health (D6.1), clinical nursing in the process of caring for adult and elderly health (D6.2), nursing in the process of caring for mental health (D6.3) and Final Project I (D6.4), taught in the 6^th period, and in the Final Project II (D9.3) subject, taught in the 9^th period, no topics addressed in SDG 5 were viewed.

All 6^th-semester subjects and Final Project II are mandatory components and prerequisites for earning other credits. These subjects have the potential to address SDG 5 in different ways and at all stages of a woman’s life. For instance, D6.1 addresses access to gynecological and obstetric procedure outcomes, D6.2 assesses the impact of health care inequality on conditions such as hypertension and diabetes and the differences between men and women, and D6.3, various forms of violence against women can be discussed, including sexual abuse and femicide. Unfortunately, femicide has gained much prominence in recent years. D6.4 and D9.3 can cover various topics in women’s health, such as research on gender-based violence, maternal mortality, and sexual and reproductive rights.

DISCUSSION

Gender equality is an essential human rights principle and a prerequisite for sustainable development. It ensures equal rights and responsibilities for men and women and demystifies the gender identity spectrum. Pursuing gender equality aims to eradicate the various injustices and inequalities that exist in the world, particularly those affecting women and girls, which lead to discrimination and violence(²⁵).

Bell Hooks’ critical analysis supports the fundamental premise of gender equality by examining the power structures that perpetuate inequality. In her theoretical works, she offers a complex and multifaceted perspective on the subject, transcending the simplistic dichotomy between men and women and exploring the intricate interactions between gender and other social markers of difference(²²-²⁴). More recent studies, such as those by Collins(²⁶) and McCall(²⁷), emphasize the importance of intersectionality in analyzing inequalities, highlighting how gender experiences are interconnected with factors such as race, class and sexuality, which is crucial to understanding the power dynamics that shape individuals’ lives in contemporary contexts.

In nursing education, discussing intersectionality and power structures is crucial, especially with regard to SDGs related to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Hooks(²²) argues that understanding the power dynamics that perpetuate inequality is essential for any attempt at social transformation. In a nursing context, this implies the need to educate future professionals about the gender inequalities affecting women’s and girls’ health and well-being, as recent studies have highlighted(²⁸,²⁹). Incorporating an intersectional perspective into nursing training can facilitate the identification of barriers to access to healthcare, promoting a more sensitive and inclusive practice that recognizes the diverse realities faced by these populations(³⁰). Therefore, training must emphasize the importance of care that not only addresses physical needs, but also social and emotional issues that impact women’s health.

The PNAISM emphasizes the importance of healthcare that addresses the unique needs of each woman. At the same time, it promotes social transformation by increasing the urgency to eliminate violence and gender discrimination. In this sense, the PNAISM aims to promote health, prevent disease, enable early diagnosis, and facilitate treatment and rehabilitation. The first guideline of this policy is: “The Brazilian Health System must be oriented and trained to provide comprehensive women’s healthcare. This care should encompass health promotion, the health needs of women, control of prevalent pathologies, and the guarantee of the right to health”(¹²).

Nurses play a strategic role in achieving SDG 5 because they are the professionals who are closest to women at different stages of life and levels of complexity. However, a study revealed that nurses do not feel connected to the SDGs in their practice. Most remain distant because they do not see a relationship between the SDGs and their profession(³¹). In this context, the academic space plays an important role in this approach. It trains professionals to address global health challenges, promote well-being, and contribute to the advancement of human, social, and environmental sustainability(³²).

The most evident goals of this study were the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in public and private spheres, including trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other types of exploitation. The second most evident goal was ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Bell Hooks addresses the need to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, emphasizing that this issue is intrinsically linked to the social and cultural structures that perpetuate oppression. In her analysis, she highlights that violence is not limited to physical acts, but also includes forms of exploitation and discrimination that occur in both the public and private spheres(²⁴). This perspective is corroborated by recent studies that highlight the urgency of addressing trafficking and sexual exploitation as critical issues affecting women’s health and rights(³³,³⁴). Furthermore, the goal of ensuring universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights is fundamental to promoting women’s autonomy, as stated by contemporary authors who discuss the intersection between human and health rights(³⁵). Eliminating violence and promoting access to healthcare services are therefore essential components for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as outlined in SDGs(¹).

In turn, the PNAISM presents “promoting care for women and adolescents in situations of domestic and sexual violence” as one of its objectives. To achieve this, the PNAISM organizes integrated networks of care for women in these situations and promotes the coordination of care for women experiencing violence with STD/AIDS prevention efforts. Additionally, the PNAISM expands preventive actions concerning domestic and sexual violence(¹⁶).

Meanwhile, concerns about training future professionals emerge from the perspective of providing comprehensive care to women. Nurses must be vigilant because consultations are opportune moments to identify important clinical manifestations, such as domestic violence. Many women do not recognize certain types of violence as domestic violence(³⁶). In this sense, nurses must be able to provide comprehensive care, providing support, taking prophylactic measures for cases of sexual violence and reporting all cases of violence(²⁴).

An analysis of the syllabi for the UEA nursing course subjects D2.6, D4.5, D7.1, D7.2, D9.1, D10.1, and D10.2 shows partial inclusion of content focused on sexual and reproductive rights. This aligns with target 5.6 of SDG 5, which aims to ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health. These subjects cover topics such as primary care actions, health education practices, mental health during the prenatal and postpartum periods, and patient autonomy. The PNAISM emphasizes that women’s healthcare must be comprehensive, taking into account the social and cultural diversity of users and promoting their involvement in reproductive decision-making(¹⁶).

Bell Hooks’s(²⁴) perspective contributes critically to the understanding of bodily autonomy as a pillar for the liberation of women, especially those who have been historically silenced, such as black, poor, disabled, and peripheral women. Her intersectional approach reinforces the need for health practices that not only recognize but fight against the structural inequalities that restrict access to sexual and reproductive rights. Nasser et al.(³⁷) highlight the need to break paradigms of the biomedical model currently used, incorporating a rights-based approach that recognizes different vulnerabilities and promotes equity in reproductive care.

Although progress has been made, gaps remain in the training and practices of healthcare professionals regarding their approach to sexual and reproductive rights. The fragmented and scarce presence of these topics in nursing curricula hinders future nurses’ ability to perform critically and transformatively(³⁸). Therefore, it is of utmost importance that training considers the PNAISM and Agenda 2030 precepts, in order to train professionals who act based on principles of social justice, gender equity and valuing women’s autonomy in different cycles of life.

In terms of the approach to content inherent in social practice, management, leadership, and communication, there is an effort to provide nurses with decision-making and social participation skills. These aspects align with the PNAISM proposal, which promotes women’s leadership in social and professional spaces, as well as with SDG 5, which aims to eliminate gender disparities and empower women in all areas of society(¹,¹⁶). Training is strategic for strengthening the female presence in leadership positions.

Female leadership, particularly among Black and marginalized women, is a political act of resistance against patriarchal and racist structures. Empowering women requires more than entering the job market. It also requires autonomy, social recognition, and the ability to transform the contexts in which women are embedded(²⁴). In this context, it is necessary to train female leaders with critical awareness capable of acting against gender inequalities present in institutional structures(³⁹).

Furthermore, it is highlighted that skills such as management, planning and communication must be strengthened in nursing curricula, as they are necessary to consolidate the role of women as leaders in the SUS(⁴⁰,⁴¹). Including subjects focused on administration and social practice contributes to training professionals who can lead teams in an ethical, participatory, and humanized manner. By integrating the PNAISM milestones and the 2030 Agenda objectives, the UEA nursing program strengthens its commitment to educating nurses who are dedicated to social justice and gender equity in healthcare services.

Study limitations

We consider the lack of other data sources that could deepen the discussion at hand to be a limitation of this study. However, despite their relevance, these methodological restrictions establish a preliminary basis for subsequent investigations on the integration of gender equity in health training.

Contributions to nursing, health or public policy

Nursing undergraduate programs represent a privileged locus for implementing SDG 5, considering its predominantly female composition and its extensive reach across the SUS, from low-complexity units to quaternary centers. This demographic-professional characteristic, associated with its proximity to individuals and communities, positions nursing as a potential vector for transforming social gender relations, catalyzing processes of women’s empowerment and promoting equity, in line with the social determinants of health. Studies such as this can contribute significantly to achieving SDG 5 and other 2030 Agenda goals.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

A systematic analysis of the syllabus for the mandatory subjects in the institution’s nursing program revealed evident gaps in the transversal incorporation of gender equality throughout the training path. Additionally, some subjects demonstrated greater potential for integrating SDG 5 targets into their theoretical and practical content. These findings highlight opportunities for strengthening the curriculum in this area.

The alignment of SDG 5 with the PNAISM guiding principles, along with the reflection encouraged by Bell Hooks, presents a potential approach for critical reflective training in nursing. This training would prepare future professionals to perform contextualized interventions in response to local and regional challenges related to gender equity. Thus, it would contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda.

Given the epidemiological and sociopolitical scenario characterized by gender inequities at local and global levels, reorienting the curriculum is imperative. To achieve the proposed objectives, there must be comprehensive intersectoral coordination, from formulating public policies to mobilizing social actors at the individual and collective levels. This will align the educational commitment with contemporary demands for sustainable development.

AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIAL

The research data are available only upon request.

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• EDITOR IN CHIEF:
  Antonio José de Almeida Filho

• ASSOCIATE EDITOR:
  Alexandre Balsanelli

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  20 Mar 2026
• Date of issue
  2025

History

• Received
  30 July 2024
• Accepted
  13 June 2025