Technical Brief 2: A guide for more gender-responsive health research

This brief outlines a framework for conducting gender-responsive health research, emphasizing the importance of understanding how gender norms, roles, and power dynamics influence health determinants, behaviors, and outcomes. It highlights persistent gender data and capacity gaps, particularly the historical prioritization of male-centric data and the lack of gender analysis in health studies. The authors advocate for an intersectional, feminist approach that incorporates both qualitative and quantitative data, engages local civil society organizations, and addresses structural inequalities—especially in the context of emerging data sources like AI and precision medicine. The brief also explores challenges such as inconsistent terminology, limited training, tokenistic inclusion of gender, and the ethical complexities of collecting data on sexual orientation and gender identity. Through actionable recommendations, it encourages health researchers to reflect on data biases, collaborate with gender experts, and embed equity and change at the core of their research design and implementation.