Grant: Project Grant

One of the ways fairness in society can be measured is through health outcomes, like life expectancy. A person born in the lowest income countries of the world is expected to live half as long as a person born in the highest income countries. The health of people living in high-income countries is also unequal, shaped by social and economic inequities and the legacies of colonization. Even with decades of global pledges for worldwide efforts to reduce inequities, they persist. These inequities pose profound social and economic costs across societies. Global health research (GHR) aims to reduce these inequities. Canadian investments in GHR are growing, with a direct focus on advancing equity as one of the most important things that can be done to improve health worldwide. While it is promising to have a vision for advancing equity, actually doing so requires specific knowledge and skills. Saying equity matters is not a guarantee that the right kinds of action follow. Making a difference about the world's health inequities in or through GHR requires 'walking the talk'. Evidence shows a gap between what is said and what is actually done in GHR. While GHR may be promising for reducing inequities and promoting health worldwide, it also poses the risk of reinforcing inequities. Working alongside people who will use results, this research project will test the capacity-building effects of a training intervention specifically designed to move equity intentions into action. This project involves three objectives: (1) to examine how equity is operationalized in Canada's GHR ecosystem; (2) to evaluate the capacity building impacts of an intervention for advancing equity in Canada's GHR ecosystem; and (3) to build consensus on standards for excellence in practicing equity. This research will generate new resources, tools, and knowledge needed to infuse Canada's GHR ecosystem with the capacity and leadership needed to advance health equity.