Publication disparities in gender-transformative sexual and reproductive health in West Africa

Abstract

This opinion paper is informed by a scoping review and validated through a multi-stakeholder workshop. In May 2024, the Gender Transformation for Africa, an African-led research partnership that includes programme implementers and researchers who are working on gender-transformative research projects to advance sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Africa, convened a 3-day workshop in Cape Town, South Africa. The aim of the workshop was to validate a scoping review conducted by the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape. The scoping review aimed to examine patterns of leadership in authorship of gender-transformative SRH research and programming across Africa and focused on authorship, funding and geographic context. This review revealed significant regional disparities in the publication of gender-transformative SRH literature across Africa. Compared with the Southern and Eastern Africa regions, the West Africa region has the smallest representation of authorship, with only five articles, none of which are from Francophone West Africa. Some of the underlying factors behind the disparities in the publication of gender-transformative SRH research in West Africa are discussed in this opinion paper, and ways to address the reported imbalances are suggested. This article draws on the discussions and perspectives shared by the workshop participants, along with insights from the literature and other West African researchers.