Transnational Participatory Research with Young Adults

The Project

The Digital Health and Rights Project (DHRP) was inspired by the revolutionary impact of the global digital transformation and its consequence on health systems. While recent advancements in digital technologies have improved healthcare access in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), socio-economic, gender and other inequalities create “digital divides”, and gaps in access that leave many without access to essential information and services. Moreover, efforts to regulate technology and online platforms have struggled to keep up with the pace of innovation, creating accountability concerns for growing youth populations.

Methods

Working under the frame of participatory action research, the project explored the future of human rights in the digital age with young adult key populations in Colombia, Ghana, Kenya and Vietnam. Drawing on representatives from our study participants, we established Community Advisory Teams (CATs) in all four countries. The CATs, a unique component of our PAR framework, advised on the research design and recruitment of research participants, supported data collection and are currently leading on national advocacy plans. We interviewed 301 young adults ages 18-30 who were living with HIV, those categorised as key populations within HIV response such as sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender or gender diverse, or cisgender women. Additionally, we engaged 41 experts from UN agencies, government and civil society in Key Informant Interviews.

Results

The study’s scope, the largest of its kind, highlights how barriers such as stigma, poor infrastructure, digital exclusion and online abuse are blocking access to essential health information and services online. It also demonstrated the role of community-led networks in responding to misinformation and online abuse, with youth-led national and global advocacy.