Is ethical review a barrier to the publication of research on violence against women and children for low- and middle-income country researchers?

Abstract

Producing and publishing research on violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) is essential for developing evidence-based solutions to these widespread issues. However, researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face numerous challenges and structural inequities that hinder their ability to contribute to the global knowledge base. Among these, obtaining research ethics approval, which is essential for ensuring research integrity and safeguarding participant welfare, stands out as a particularly critical and often arduous hurdle. Access to research ethics approval presents significant challenges for researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), due to: (1) limited availability and accessibility of appropriate Research Ethics Committees (RECs) at universities, hospitals, or other institutions; (2) difficulties in navigating bureaucratic ethical review systems; (3) limited access to funding for research ethics approval fees, particularly for early-career researchers; (4) fee-for-service ethics review models and associated conflicts of interest; (5) limited expertise of REC members to evaluate and advise on VAW and VAC research; and (6) conflicts between international REC criteria and local mandates or expectations regarding how research should be conducted. This paper explores these barriers and inequities, providing recommendations to strengthen support and infrastructure for ethical review in LMICs. It calls for the development of accessible, contextually relevant ethical review mechanisms that uphold global standards while accommodating local realities.