Navigating Informed Consent and Cultural Sensitivity in Adolescent SRHR Research In Africa: Shared Lessons from the ANeSA Initiative
Research and programs targeting adolescents, especially those below 18, require informed consent, assent, strong safeguarding systems, cultural awareness, and ongoing ethical judgment. Research and programs designed with cultural sensitivity in mind build trust, improve participation, generate more reliable evidence, protect adolescents from harm, and strengthen the relevance, ownership, and uptake of interventions by communities and policymakers.
However, when researchers and program implementers fail to carefully plan for and manage informed consent, sensitivity, and safeguarding required in adolescent sexual and reproductive health research, they risk community resistance, backlash, ethical harm, disengagement, and
ultimately weak evidence that does not reflect adolescents’ lived realities. Addressing informed consent and cultural sensitivity in adolescent sexual and reproductive health research is, therefore, critical and should be managed carefully and thoughtfully to ensure the program’s success. This learning brief brings together lessons from eight implementation research teams on navigating informed consent and cultural sensitivity in adolescent sexual and reproductive health research and programs in Africa, positioning these practices not as procedural requirements but as the foundation of ethical, credible, and impactful research and programs.
