Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Editorial Boards of Global Health Journals

The study aimed to analyze diversity, equity, and inclusion in global and international health journals, focusing on gender, region, and socioeconomic status. To select journals for analysis, the Authors considered any journal dedicated to publishing global health or international health research. Women accounted for 44% of the overall editorial board, while there was no evidence indicating the presence of non-binary and transgender individuals among the board members. Moreover, 68.2% of editors were affiliated with high-income nations, and 67.3% of editors were from the Global North. To promote ethical principles, diversity, and inclusivity within international health journals, the Authors propose a “6R Approach” The approach consists of the following steps: Recognize – Recognize the importance of diversity in enhancing innovation and excellence within journal editorial boards; Redefine – Precisely define the terms “diversity, equity, and inclusion” to establish actionable policies; Reform – Prioritize the inclusion of underrepresented groups, especially in leadership positions, to address disparities in gender, geographic, and socioeconomic representation; Review – Establish review committees to monitor adherence to the proposed practices. Develop metrics to measure the effectiveness of interventions and track attrition rates of marginalized groups; Rectify – Based on the review findings, redirect, renew, and rectify ongoing efforts to address any shortcomings or areas that require improvement; Re-educate – Incorporate values of inclusivity and essential skills, such as recognizing bias and addressing microaggressions, early in individuals’ careers to ensure these values are reflected in their future practices.

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Recommended on behalf of EASE by Silvia Maina, Italy