Equitable Research Relationships: a multi-sided perspective

iCHORDS

Facilitated by Dr. Gem A. The first part of this workshop will be a panel discussion and the second part will be a case study deliberation.

Session description:There is much talk about the crucial importance of equitable researchrelationships. However, what this means—and how to do it well—remains unclear,especially in the context of current instability and confusion around global NTDfunding. In this session, Gem Aellah, an anthropologist from the BSMS Centre forEquitable Global Health Research, will facilitate a deliberative workshop to heardifferent perspectives on what makes up equitable research, and encourage us totalk openly about the multiple dimensions and perspectives on equity.The one-hour session will consist of a panel discussion and case study deliberation. Part 1: Panel discussion kicked off with short talks on what equity in research relationshipsmeans to three speakers, from their unique perspectives. 1. Ratwar Okoth, Community Health Based Fieldworker for a TransnationalMedical Research Field station and a grass-roots community tree planter,Western Kenya 2. Prof Getnet Tadele, Department of Sociology, Addis Ababa University, PI ofthe Social Sciences for Stigmatising Skin Diseases Foundation Ethiopia, andNational Neglected Diseases Champion, Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. 3. Members of the new Inclusive Research Team at The Leprosy Mission India -14 TLM Champions and staff affected by leprosy, who are learning aboutsocial action research through doing their own project. Part 2: A case study deliberation facilitated by Gem Aellah using a fictive case studystory drawn from ethnographic fieldwork: ‘Per Diem: Practical Inequalities inScientific Collaboration’ (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK458762/)to spark further conversion on the multiple meanings of equity in researchrelationships. Attendees can read the case study story on the link above inadvance, if they wish. Session speakers: Speaker 1 : Gem Aellah, g.aellah@bsms.ac.uk Gem is a Research Fellow in anthropology at the Centre for Equitable Global HealthResearch, and the Global Health Research Unit on NTDs at Brighton and SusseMedical School, University of Sussex. Her research interests include: understandingthe multiple meanings of equity in research partnerships, how national and globalNTD policy gets made, through the Social Science for Stigmatising Skin DiseasesFoundation, especially the role of love and human connection; intersections betweenglobal health research, everyday life and ethics; and using creative methods towiden participation in social action research, communicate anthropologicalknowledge and increase NTDs research’s real-life impact. You can watch a shortvideo about her latest work on love and NTDs here(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RjCSX9d96E). Gem holds a PhD entitled:Everyday life in a site of transnational medical research inWestern Kenya: an ethnographic study, and is co-author of a workbook of fictive casestudies to think through relational ethical dilemmas: Global health research in anunequal world: ethics case studies from Africa. She is also co-chair of the UK CoalitionAgainst NTDs Influencing Working group, and PI of a new inclusive training project forpeople affected by leprosy who interested in doing social action research, with TLMIndia and TLM GB. Speaker 2: Ratwar Okoth ratwar76@yahoo.com Ratwar Okoth has been a dedicated community health-based research fieldworkerand data collection supervisor for a transnational medical research station inWestern Kenya since 2005. In his ‘spare time’, he is an environmental enthusiastwith a strong commitment to fostering sustainable ecosystems, actively leading andparticipating in tree-planting initiatives, working with local communities to restorenatural habitats, combat climate change, and promoting environmental education.Whether doing research fieldwork, organizing community planting events ormentoring others on the importance of trees, he believes in the power of collectiveaction to create a greener, healthier planet. Rat is co-author, with Gem Aellah, of‘Living honourably and independently’: dreaming of a good village life in an Africanrural health and demographic surveillance system site (2019) Etnofoor, 31(2), 103-120.https://sussex.figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/_Living_honourably_and_independently_dreaming_of_a_good_village_life_in_an_African_rural_health_and_demographic_surveillance_system_site/23484932/1?file=41193722 Speaker 3: Getnet Tadele <a href="mailto:Getnettt2001@yahoo.com" title="mailto:Getnettt2001@yahoo.com" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Getnettt2001@yahoo.com</a> Getnet Tadele is a distinguished professor in the Department of Sociology at AddisAbaba University, Ethiopia. where he has dedicated over 34 years to academia. Hisresearch bridges health and social sciences, focusing on global health challenges,particularly NTDs, childhood studies, and sexual and reproductive health, with over70 publications. Getnet is actively involved in global health policy and systemsresearch and intervention, servicing on various committees, including the NIHR’sGlobal Health Policy and Systems Research Funding Committee, leading severalnotable research projects, including the Social Sciences for Stigmatising SkinDisease Foundation Ethiopia (read their latest Story of Change on multi-sectoralcollaboration here: https://ntdsresearch.org/2025/03/10/promoting-multisectoral-collaboration-for-tackling-skin-ntds-in-ethiopia/ ), and has been appointed theNational Neglected Diseases Champion by the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia. Getnethas also contributed to significantly to community development through initiativessuch as building schools and bridges. You can watch a short video about his journeyfrom a small country boy in rural Ethiopia to an internationally acclaimed scholar andchange agent in the field of Global Health here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwgvetopd3c. Speaker 4: Prakash Angaj representing The Inclusive Research Team समावेशी शोध टीम Prakash is a leprosy survivor turned administrator at Richardson Leprosy Hospital, Maharashtra, India, dedicated to serving and inspiring others.The Inclusive Research Team are fourteen TLM champions and staff affected by leprosy from The Leprosy Mission Trust India who are learning about social action research through doing their own comparative research project on a topic of their choice. They recently attended research training at the TLM International Conferencein Goa, India, facilitated by Caroline Ackley and Gem Aellah from BSMS, Joydeepa Darlong, Suresh Dhondge, James George from TLM India, and Bahadir Celiktemur, TLM GB. This picture shows the team having just decided on their group research question: What are the challenges people affected by leprosy experience accessing government disability support schemes? And for those that gain access, does itimprove their situation? (image 2025, taken by Caroline Ackley).

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Equitable Research Relationships: a multi-sided perspective

More events from iCHORDS

Discover more events from iCHORDS, from Science & Tech to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.

Equitable Research Relationships: a multi-sided perspective

More events from iCHORDS

Discover more events from iCHORDS, from Science & Tech to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all online events to browse and filter by date, category, and more.