The Women’s Health Innovations team at the Gates Foundation sought to address gaps in the Women’s Health Research and Development (R&D) workforce, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa. In response, the START team was tasked with conducting an in-depth review of published and grey literature to identify barriers and facilitators affecting research capacity, funding, and professional participation among women’s health R&D professionals in the region. The literature review focused on identified areas of importance for women’s health, which included contraceptive technologies, non-HIV STIs, and reproductive, gynecological, and menstrual health. The qualitative findings were organized into six thematic areas—financial, educational, networking, collaborations, sociocultural, and leadership & policy—to better understand the specific challenges and opportunities for the women’s health R&D workforce in sub-Saharan Africa. Gaps identified included the limited availability of dedicated funding aligned with regional research priorities, insufficient mentorship and skill-building opportunities for early-career researchers, and the impact of international collaborations that often place local researchers in secondary roles. Additionally, sociocultural barriers, such as stigma around abortion and contraceptive research, emerged as significant obstacles. Following the literature review and data extraction, the START team developed a final presentation for the Women’s Health Innovations team, outlining key findings on women’s health R&D workforce gaps in sub-Saharan Africa. The presentation highlighted thematic insights, NIH funding trends in women’s health focus areas, and exemplars in women’s health R&D capacity building in the region. This content was also transformed into a narrative report with citations and a series of summary placemats, providing context and detailed recommendations to support the women’s health R&D workforce in sub- Saharan Africa.
