Alemu Kassahun, Berhanu Della, Bergström Anna, Hoa Dinh Phuong, Swartling Peterson Stefan, Phoummalaysith Bounfeng, Tomson Goran, Wanyenze Rhoda Kitti, Persson Lars Åke
University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
Disease Control, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, England, UK.
BMJ Glob Health. 2025 Jun 30;10(6):e019130. doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2025-019130.
Equitable partnerships in global health research can counteract power imbalances in this field. Theoretical perspectives have been provided on equitable global health partnerships, but there are few reports from researchers actively engaged in such partnerships. This article departs from the experiences of four long-term global health research partnerships, two in Africa and two in Asia. It describes the challenges in enhancing an equitable research partnership and how these were addressed. The examples illustrate that funders can play a pivotal role in counteracting power imbalances by assigning leadership roles and directing primary funding to institutions where the research occurs. Such a transition requires adaptations and a new mindset on both sides. Embedded research capacity enhancement, part of all four partnership examples, is essential in correcting power imbalances. Capacity enhancement should preferably include enhancing the broader research ecosystem within the partner university, across academic institutions in the country or beyond. The development of mutual trust and respect takes time and requires long-term engagement, transparency in budgeting, project planning and all steps of the research process. Reciprocity in learning is important for all partners. It may include twinning of research students, joint degrees and efforts to bring research findings into policy and practice in all partner contexts. The partnership examples illustrate the achievements and challenges in bringing new research evidence into policy and practice, where early involvement and continuous buy-in by policymakers are crucial.
全球卫生研究中的公平伙伴关系可以抵消该领域的权力失衡。关于公平的全球卫生伙伴关系，已有理论观点，但积极参与此类伙伴关系的研究人员的报告却很少。本文基于四个长期全球卫生研究伙伴关系的经验展开，其中两个在非洲，两个在亚洲。它描述了加强公平研究伙伴关系所面临的挑战以及应对这些挑战的方式。这些例子表明，资助者可以通过分配领导角色并将主要资金导向开展研究的机构，在抵消权力失衡方面发挥关键作用。这种转变需要双方进行调整并形成新的思维方式。所有四个伙伴关系案例都包含的嵌入式研究能力提升，对于纠正权力失衡至关重要。能力提升最好包括加强伙伴大学内部、该国或其他地区学术机构之间更广泛的研究生态系统。相互信任和尊重的建立需要时间，并且需要长期参与、预算透明、项目规划以及研究过程的所有步骤都保持透明。相互学习对所有伙伴都很重要。这可能包括研究学生结对、联合学位以及在所有伙伴环境中将研究成果转化为政策和实践的努力。这些伙伴关系案例说明了将新的研究证据转化为政策和实践方面的成就与挑战，其中政策制定者的早期参与和持续支持至关重要。
