title: Switching the poles in sexual and reproductive health research: implementing a research capacity-strengthening network in West and North Africa.
abstract: Health research capacities have been improved in Africa but still remain weak as compared to other regions of the World. To strengthen these research capacities, international collaboration and networking for knowledge and capacity transfer are needed. In this commentary, we present the Network for Scientific Support in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health in West and North Africa, its priority research topics and discuss its implementation process. Established in January 2014, the Network aims at generating human rights and gender-based research fully carried out and driven by South based institutions. It is composed of 12 institutions including the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp (Belgium) and 11 institutions from eight Francophone West and North African countries. The key areas of interest of this network are health policies analysis and health system research in family planning, HIV prevention among vulnerable groups, quality of care and breast cancers. Since it started, seventeen research proposals based on locally relevant research questions have been developed. Among the seventeen proposals, eleven have been implemented. Several research institutions enhanced linkages with local representations of international partners such as UNFPA. The network is committed to strengthening methodological research capacities and soft skills such as fundraising, advocacy and leadership. Such competencies are strongly needed for developing an effective South-based leadership in Sexual and Reproductive Health research, and for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
authors: Centre de Recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie, CNHU/HKM, Avenue Jean-Paul, Cotonou, Benin. jdossou80@yahoo.com.|Department of Public Health, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalstraat, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium. jdossou80@yahoo.com.
authors: Jean-Paul
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1681-2604
authors: JP
authors: Dossou
authors: Ecole Nationale de Santé Publique, Rue Lamfadel Cherkaoui, Madinat Al Irfane, Rabat, Morocco.
authors: Bouchra
authors: B
authors: Assarag
authors: Centre National de Formation et de Recherche en Santé Rurale de Mafèrinyah, Forécariah, Guinée.|Woman and Child Health Research Centre, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalstraat, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Alexandre
authors: A
authors: Delamou
authors: Woman and Child Health Research Centre, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalstraat, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Van der Veken
authors: Woman and Child Health Research Centre, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalstraat, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.|École de Santé Publique, Université de Montréal, 7101 Av du Parc H3N1X9, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
authors: Loubna
authors: L
authors: Belaid
authors: Agence de Formation, de Recherche et d'Expertise en Santé pour l'Afrique, 773, Rue Guillaume Ouédraogo, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
authors: Moctar
authors: M
authors: Ouédraogo
authors: Direction Régionale de la Santé de Nabeul, Rue de la Révolution, Nabeul, Tunisie.
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Khalfallah
authors: Registre des Cancers d'Annaba, Université d'Annaba, CHU, Annaba, Algérie.
authors: Hayet
authors: H
authors: Aouras
authors: Centre Régional de Formation, de Recherche et de Plaidoyer en Santé de la Reproduction, Maternité Hôpital Aristide Le Dantec, Avenue Pasteur, Dakar, Sénégal.
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Diadhiou
authors: Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Statistique et d'Economie Appliquée, Boulevard Mitterrand, Cocody, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors: Raïmi
authors: R
authors: Fassassi
authors: Woman and Child Health Research Centre, Institute of Tropical Medicine, 155 Nationalstraat, 2000, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors: Thérèse
authors: T
authors: Delvaux
mesh_terms: D000352:Africa, Northern; D000354:Africa, Western; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D057191:Capacity Building / Q000458:organization & administration; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007391:International Cooperation; D060728:Reproductive Health
keywords: Africa; Collective intelligence; Implementation; Networking; Research capacity; Sexual and reproductive health; Switching the poles