The Africa Shared Research Agenda draws from the lessons learned from the Global Shared Research Agenda and aims to localize it to the diverse contexts in which violence driven by gender inequality manifests across the African continent.
To support the identification of research priorities on ending gender-based violence in Africa over the next 5-10 years, the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) and UN Women, through its Regional Offices in East and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa, have collaborated since 2022 to develop an African Shared Research Agenda (ASRA) for ending gender-based violence (GBV), with a focus on East, Central, West and Southern Africa.
The ASRA builds on the Global Shared Research Agenda on VAW, which was coordinated by the SVRI and The Equality Institute and launched in 2021. Recognising the diverse contexts in which violence driven by gender inequality manifests across the African continent, it became clear the importance of localising the GSRA to identify priority research areas for the region.
Women and adolescent girls in Central, Eastern, West and Southern Africa face significant rates of past-year physical and sexual violence, far higher than global estimates. Because of this, evidence building and knowledge creation for these sub-regions of Africa is essential for accelerating progress and accountability to women and girls in all their diversity through the provision of better, more effective programmes.
Methodology of the Africa Shared Research Agenda
The ASRA was co-created through a participatory and inclusive priority setting exercise that highlighted the major gaps and questions which need to be addressed for the field. Like the GSRA, the ASRA followed the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) methodology but with some key adaptations that were identified as necessary through the process.
The methods involved engaging with stakeholders through three differentiated groups, comprising of more than 400 regional experts including researchers, practitioners, women’s rights and feminist organisations, activists and networks, funders, policymakers and others. In addition, the ASRA added qualitative methods, thereby creating a more inclusive process that enabled specific population sub-groups, especially those facing intersecting forms of discrimination, to engage more fully in the process
The five key research domains identified during the process were:
Key Findings from the Africa Shared Research Agenda
The top five questions across all domains that emerged from a total of 186 experts’ response to the survey were:
Key Learnings from the Africa Shared Research Agenda
The key learnings from the development process of the Africa Shared Research Agenda on Violence Against Women were:
- There is substantial agreement among experts on the research priorities across all five domains.
- Emerging themes include emphasis on research and interventions that focus on marginalized populations, address social norms, and engage local indigenous structures and forms of knowledge in preventions and response.
- It is important to be flexible in adapting the process as it develops.
- Using mixed-methods, including qualitative exercises, ensures a meaningful participation from marginalised and underrepresented groups.
- Despite being inclusive and democratic, prioritisation exercises can also be biased and may be established with political intentions rather than scientific ones.
- Research priorities should be interpreted against the existing evidence and literature.
- There is a need to curate evidence in an accessible way for different stakeholders in the GBV response and prevention fields.
- There is a fine balance between limiting bias and increasing participation.
Implications for GBV Research in Africa
The process has demonstrated that gaps in research remain. Evidence-building and knowledge creation is essential for accelerating progress and accountability to women and girls in all their diversity across Africa, through the provision of better, more effective programmes.
The way forward from here is simple: this Africa Shared Research Agenda, the ASRA, must be shared, and it must be shared widely. It can only be effective if it is used.
Launch Webinar
The Africa Shared Research Agenda Report was launched on 30 November 2023. During the webinar, we shared more information about the research priorities identified, insights on the process, and how stakeholders can use the Africa Shared Research Agenda in their work to end gender based violence..
