GT4Africa Cohort Workshop (9-13 September 2024)

The first in-person GT4Africa cohort workshop deliberated on Research Publications, Knowledge Translation, and Sustainability and collaborated on a forthcoming journal supplement and commentaries.

The School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape (SOPH-UWC) hosted the first in-person writing workshop for the GT4Africa Cohort from 9 to 13 September 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa. The GT4Africa collective includes members working on six projects across seven countries and thirteen institutions.

The GT4Africa collective has been working towards a special journal supplement that documents research and programme implementation to advance gender transformation across the six projects over the past two years. The papers focus, among others, on co-design, working with- men, community health workers and peer mobilisers. The face-to-face workshop was designed to advance the journal supplement papers and enhance skills in writing publications. Discussions focused on writing techniques (such as developing a storyline and crafting effective introductions and discussions) and articulating how gender transformative approaches were conceptualised, operationalised, and measured across the various projects.

With the various projects nearing completion, the workshop further facilitated reflection and discussion on cross-cutting themes like knowledge translation and sustainability. These conversations addressed the implications for the cohort, what is needed to sustain such a collective, and ideas for additional shared outputs.

The workshop followed a participatory process that leveraged participant experience and insights through activities including conversation starter reflections, plenary presentations and discussions, dedicated writing time, and small group peer exchanges.

The workshop concluded positively, with participants expressing appreciation for the rich discussions, the focus on key issues and competencies, and the outlined next steps towards completing the supplement. Asha George closed the workshop by thanking participants for their energy, purposeful engagement, networking, and optimism about sustaining the gains made through the GT4Africa collaboration.