Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution

Objectives: Equitable global health partnerships are recognized as critical for health equity; however, power imbalances and structural inequities continue to undermine these partnerships and ultimately their ability to achieve equitable health outcomes. As individuals within a US‑based academic ins...

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Main Authors: Sarah Emoto, Laura Ferguson, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Howard Hu, Goleen Samari, Sofia Gruskin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ubiquity Press 2025-06-01
Series:Annals of Global Health
Subjects:
Online Access:https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4772
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author Sarah Emoto
Laura Ferguson
Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
Howard Hu
Goleen Samari
Sofia Gruskin
author_facet Sarah Emoto
Laura Ferguson
Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
Howard Hu
Goleen Samari
Sofia Gruskin
author_sort Sarah Emoto
collection DOAJ
description Objectives: Equitable global health partnerships are recognized as critical for health equity; however, power imbalances and structural inequities continue to undermine these partnerships and ultimately their ability to achieve equitable health outcomes. As individuals within a US‑based academic institution engaged in global health partnerships during the current, complicated political moment, we recognize our responsibility to critically examine what it means for us to seek to engage equitably, both locally and globally. We therefore undertook an initiative to develop and adopt a set of principles to serve as internal guidance for how individuals within our institution engage in partnerships. We present our approach to promoting equity within our local and global research, education, and community partnerships, informed by existing literature, as an example of how academic institutions based in the Global North might seek to address power imbalances and to engage with others involved in similar efforts. Methods: We reviewed similar initiatives and existing principles. An internal, departmental committee coalesced around eight principles and drafted and iteratively refined their components. As part of ongoing, broader conversations with our partners, during this process, we engaged and sought the perspectives of our external partners, including from Brazil, India, and Kenya, to ensure the guidance was both informed by and resonated with their concerns about engaging with a US‑based institution. Findings: The principles of sustainability, mutual benefit and reciprocity, equitable governance, do no harm, locally identified priorities, compliance with ethical reviews and legal standards, information sharing, and accountability were elaborated and ultimately adopted by the full department faculty. Conclusions: Despite the best of intentions, we foresee challenges that may impact both implementation and outcomes. Continued reflection and dialogue with our partners and others engaged in similar initiatives is needed to address these challenges and the broader structural inequities embedded in global health.
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spelling doaj-art-7f0af7544d284dfab2c4c7fb82b17dba2025-08-20T02:38:53ZengUbiquity PressAnnals of Global Health2214-99962025-06-01911313110.5334/aogh.47724772Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic InstitutionSarah Emoto0https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3643-9482Laura Ferguson1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1340-793XLourdes Baezconde-Garbanati2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2713-9435Howard Hu3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3676-2707Goleen Samari4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9506-3586Sofia Gruskin5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2418-011XInstitute on Inequalities in Global Health, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CADepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CADepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CADepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CADepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CADepartment of Population and Public Health Sciences, Institute on Inequalities in Global Health, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CAObjectives: Equitable global health partnerships are recognized as critical for health equity; however, power imbalances and structural inequities continue to undermine these partnerships and ultimately their ability to achieve equitable health outcomes. As individuals within a US‑based academic institution engaged in global health partnerships during the current, complicated political moment, we recognize our responsibility to critically examine what it means for us to seek to engage equitably, both locally and globally. We therefore undertook an initiative to develop and adopt a set of principles to serve as internal guidance for how individuals within our institution engage in partnerships. We present our approach to promoting equity within our local and global research, education, and community partnerships, informed by existing literature, as an example of how academic institutions based in the Global North might seek to address power imbalances and to engage with others involved in similar efforts. Methods: We reviewed similar initiatives and existing principles. An internal, departmental committee coalesced around eight principles and drafted and iteratively refined their components. As part of ongoing, broader conversations with our partners, during this process, we engaged and sought the perspectives of our external partners, including from Brazil, India, and Kenya, to ensure the guidance was both informed by and resonated with their concerns about engaging with a US‑based institution. Findings: The principles of sustainability, mutual benefit and reciprocity, equitable governance, do no harm, locally identified priorities, compliance with ethical reviews and legal standards, information sharing, and accountability were elaborated and ultimately adopted by the full department faculty. Conclusions: Despite the best of intentions, we foresee challenges that may impact both implementation and outcomes. Continued reflection and dialogue with our partners and others engaged in similar initiatives is needed to address these challenges and the broader structural inequities embedded in global health.https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4772global healthglobal health partnershipsequity
spellingShingle Sarah Emoto
Laura Ferguson
Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati
Howard Hu
Goleen Samari
Sofia Gruskin
Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
Annals of Global Health
global health
global health partnerships
equity
title Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
title_full Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
title_fullStr Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
title_full_unstemmed Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
title_short Promoting More Equitable Global Health Research, Education, and Community Partnerships: The Efforts of One US‑Based Academic Institution
title_sort promoting more equitable global health research education and community partnerships the efforts of one us based academic institution
topic global health
global health partnerships
equity
url https://account.annalsofglobalhealth.org/index.php/up-j-agh/article/view/4772
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