According to the WHO, “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.” In the global arena, over the past 40 years, however, work on gender equity has largely focused on women and girls. Specific goals and targets in both MDGs and SDGs refer to women and girls. The current Lancet Commission on Gender and Global Health, which is about to report and of which I am a member, is another step in the long road of research and policy advocacy for gender equity but this latest effort proposes using a gender justice approach across all systems of governance for health, knowledge production, and service delivery, moving beyond a focus on women and girls. Taking a personal narrative approach, this talk will reflect on the challenges of creating change in this area and share the thinking of the Lancet Commission.