The main aims of this talk included the definition of research ethics, the history, legalities and key issues surrounding research ethics, different ethics perspectives from the Northern and South-eastern regions of Africa, the challenges and dilemmas of researching within Africa, benefits of researching on Africa whilst outside of Africa, as well as lessons learned from research ethical practices within the UK.
The overarching theme of the session appeared to be the differing cultures surrounding these different regions, particularly regarding consent by children or women in North Africa, informed consent, vulnerability of the populace, privacy, coercion and inducement. In addition, self-reflective questions were posed. Such questions concerned data protection, rights of withdrawal from the research process, ethical dilemmas arising from sponsorship, as well as the rights of vulnerable people involved in certain aspects of research such as surveys.
We would like to extend our gratitude to Dr Nwaozuzu for the informative and interactive delivery of a vital area in research, especially in the wake of increasing research efforts being undertaken with a special focus on African countries.
