Page 74 - SAMRC AnnualReport 2025-26

Gender and Health
Research Unit

UNIT DIRECTOR:
Associate Prof. Nwabisa Shai
nwabisa.shai@mrc.ac.za

Overview of the Research Unit DHET research bulletins, regional disability data
mapping, and stakeholder engagement platforms,
The Gender and Health Research Unit (GHRU)
promotes the health, wellbeing, and rights of the Unit continues to shape national discourse and
women, children, adolescents, and marginalised strengthen policy implementation.
groups through research centred on gender Co-production remains central to the Unit’s
inequality and gender-based violence (GBV). approach, with sustained partnerships involving
students, youth, people with disabilities, women
During 2025–26, the Unit completed 8 years of
research on sexual violence prevention in higher with lived experience of intimate partner violence
education institutions through the Ntombi (IPV), and community advisory groups to ensure
Vimbela! and Vimbela uVikele! projects. projects, research remains contextually grounded and
co-developed with students, including lesbian, responsive to community needs.
bisexual and queer (LBQ) women. Findings were Key Milestones and Achievements
launched jointly with the national Departments
of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and In 2025/2026, GHRU advanced a research agenda
Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities focused on GBV prevention, strengthening mental
(DWYPD), contributing to strengthened national health responses, and improving inclusive services
policy frameworks, including the DHET GBV Policy for women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Framework for the Post-School Education and
Training (PSET) sector and the National Strategic The SAMRC-funded Ntombi Vimbela! And
Plan on GBV and Femicide (NSP-GBVF). Vimbela uVikele! Interventions continued to
evolve as leading peer-led, co-designed campus
The Unit also advanced national femicide programmes addressing sexual violence and mental
prevention efforts by adapting Risk Assessment health in alignment with national policy priorities.
and Safety Planning (RASP) tools for police, court Implementation across universities and vocational
clerks, and social service practitioners. This work colleges demonstrated improvements in gender-
directly informed the National Integrated Femicide equitable attitudes, communication and conflict-
Prevention Strategy, currently being disseminated management skills, peer-support networks, and
across government structures. reductions in risk factors associated with intimate
partner violence, sexual violence, and poor mental
GHRU strengthened policy engagement through health.
contributions to Parliamentary Portfolio Committees
on Health and Social Development, G20 working The Unit’s disability research portfolio produced
groups, and the GBV 2025 Summit, positioning the regionally significant outputs. The Disability Data
Unit as a leading scientific voice on GBV prevention, Initiative (DDI) expanded its interactive regional
positive masculinities, and disability inclusion. platform and API to improve accessibility of disability
Through evidence translation initiatives, including statistics and trained early-career fellows from

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