***CALL FOR PAPERS***

Special Edition on emerging Africa-centered perspectives on gender, sexual and reproductive health, and social, political, and economic change

The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) is seeking papers for a special issue to be published by the African Journal of Reproductive Health (AJRH) on emerging Africa-centered perspectives on gender, sexual and reproductive health, and social, political, and economic change. Journal Theme and Topics Combatting gender inequality is an important development goal. It is key to fostering more just societies and tackling a wide range of socio-economic challenges globally. Many movements are informed, enhanced, or limited by women’s ability to leverage their sexual and reproductive health and rights in the face of adversity and structural barriers.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gendered weaknesses in existing social systems that undermine progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while simultaneously fueling calls for positive, community-based, intersectional action. The pandemic also underscores the fundamental relationship between sexual and reproductive health service access and African feminist progress. Social change is any shift – positive or negative, active or passive – in cultural, political, or sociological institutions over time. Social and behavioral health research is a critical tool to document social change, particularly for marginalized groups.

The theme of our special issue journal will focus on gender, sexual and reproductive health, and social change in Africa. Populations of interest include youth, men, women, people with disabilities, refugees, and internally displaced persons, LGBTQIA+ groups or individuals, or other marginalized populations.

We welcome scoping reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, original research papers, short reports, commentaries, and policy briefs. Preference will be given to articles on West and Central African contexts, authors from these geographies, or scholarship on other world regions with clearly articulated lessons or implications for critical understanding of the intersections of gender, sexual and reproductive health, and social change in West and Central Africa. Submission Guidelines Submissions of full-text manuscripts will be accepted on a rolling basis until February 28, 2022.

Accepted submissions will not be subject to the standard publication fee. Submissions and questions can be directed to croth@icrw.org. All submissions must follow AJRH guidelines. General guidelines, including submission guidelines and formatting requirements, for AJRH are accessible by clicking on the following link: https://www.ajrh.info/public/journals/1/INFORMATION_TO_AUTHORS_(REVISED_new).pdf. We look forward to hearing from you! https://www.icrw.org