Purpose of the toolkit and intended audience

This toolkit aims to strengthen the capacity of researchers working on infectious diseases of poverty by incorporating an intersectional gender approach. The objectives of this document
are to:

1. strengthen the research capacity of disease-affected countries in intersectional gender approaches;

2. understand and address barriers to effective and quality implementation of health interventions oriented to prevent and control infectious diseases; and

3. explore solutions for enhancing equality in access to quality health care.

While this toolkit includes a focus on research that prioritizes the prevention and control of infectious diseases of poverty, it is equally relevant to other health research and interventions.

Structure of the toolkit

The toolkit contains a collection of training modules that can be customized for different contexts.

There are two introductory modules, after which, modules mirror the research process in terms of the design and development of the research, data collection, analysis, and reporting and dissemination.

Key resources related to the specific gender analysis activities are included in each module. Each module ends by listing reflection questions/action items.

Module 1 ► provides an overview of the role and importance of gender and intersectionality for research on infectious diseases of poverty. Module 2 ► gives an overview of different approaches to incorporating an intersectional gender lens. Module 3 ►and Module 4 ► describe intersectional gender analysis activities at the research design and development phase, which includes developing a research protocol. Module 5 ► explores how research methods can be used to transform inequitable gender power relations. Module 6 ►describes gender considerations and best practices within data collection. Module 7 ► discusses how an intersectional gender lens can be incorporated into the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. Module 8 ► focuses on how to incorporate an intersectional gender lens into implementation research on infectious diseases of poverty. Module 9 ► explores how an intersectional gender lens can be used in the reporting and dissemination of research on infectious disease of poverty.

How to use the toolkit

Researchers new to using the concepts of intersectionality and gender in guiding research design and delivery should read the two introductory modules ( Module 1 ► and Module 2 ►) prior to reading Modules 3 to 9 as these provide important background information. This includes the importance of gender and intersectionality to infectious diseases of poverty ( Module 1 ►) and providing an overview of different approaches to incorporating an intersectional gender lens ( Module 2 ►).

The intersectional gender analysis activities outlined in Module 3 ►and Module 4 ► are important for all subsequent activities as they provide the foundation needed for developing a robust study design that incorporates an intersectional gender lens. It is difficult, for example, to analyse data using an intersectional gender lens without giving these concepts consideration in the design and development of the research (i.e. when developing the research protocol).

While many of the activities described in modules 5 to 9 can (and should) be done without this preparatory work, by completing the activities in Module 3 ► and Module 4 ► first, you will have provided a strong foundation and framing within your study for subsequent intersectional gender analysis. You will also have provided the hopeful gender transformative application of your findings within findings reports, policy and programme design.