At the Institute for Health Transformation, we’re committed to addressing today’s most complex and compelling health challenges facing health systems not only in this country, but globally. We aim to deliver real impact and solutions that will strengthen our health systems and contribute to the health and wellbeing of all communities, now and in the future.
This International Women’s Day is an opportunity to highlight a number of our 300+ researchers and their important work towards making lasting change for all women and girls.
“Accelerating action on food security is crucial for upholding the rights of women and girls, addressing gender inequalities and ensuring their full empowerment in the society”
Chioma Anidi, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE)
PhD project summary:
Gender plays a crucial role in food security, yet there remains a lack of comprehensive analysis of food insecurity among Nigerian women of reproductive age, particularly regarding prevalence, drivers, and gender inequalities.
My PhD research aims to:
- Describe the prevalence and drivers of food insecurity among women in West Africa more broadly.
- Quantify the current prevalence of food insecurity among men and women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in Nigeria.
- Examine the drivers of food insecurity among Nigerian women of reproductive age.
- Identify the barriers and enablers to designing and implementing gender-transformative food security policies in Nigeria.
This novel research is crucial for improving gender prioritisation in food policy development and implementation locally and globally.
Read more about Chioma Anidi‘s research.
“Digital access is a right – empower girls, transform health, and bridge inequality.”
Seema Khadka, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE)
Published this week, Seema’s research titled ‘Closing the digital gender divide could help improve adolescent girls’ health and nutrition across South Asia‘, was part of a special BMJ feature on ‘Tackling the triple burden of adolescent girls’ malnutrition’. Deakin University partnered together with UNICEF and BMJ, researching this important issue with Institute authors from the region.
South Asia has a significant digital gender gap, where adolescent girls have far less access to mobile internet than boys, exacerbating health and nutrition inequities. It underscores digital access as a fundamental right essential for adolescent girls’ empowerment. While digital technologies offer opportunities to improve nutrition knowledge and autonomy, societal norms and limited access hinder their benefits. This paper calls for gender-responsive policies, community engagement, and adolescent girls’ involvement in digital initiatives to bridge the gap, ensuring equitable access to nutrition and health resources while addressing digital risks like misinformation and unhealthy food marketing.
Read the full article in BMJ: Closing the digital gender divide could help improve adolescent girls’ health and nutrition across South Asia
Read more about Seema Khadka‘s research.
“My mother and grandmothers were the force behind me getting a university education, still, patriarchal norms of Sri Lanka didn’t let them get the education they wanted, so as a migrant female researcher from Sri Lanka, I know firsthand how patriarchal norms can deprive females of their rights but I am a living example that female empowerment and leadership can make a big difference in those systematic exclusions faced by South Asian women.”
Dr Navoda Liyana Pathirana, Global Centre for Preventive Health and Nutrition (GLOBE)
Published this week, Navoda’s research titled ‘Addressing systemic exclusion and gender norms to improve nutritional outcomes for adolescent girls in South Asia’, was part of a special BMJ feature on ‘Tackling the triple burden of adolescent girls’ malnutrition’. Deakin University partnered together with UNICEF and BMJ, researching this important issue with Institute authors from the region.
South Asia reports the largest gender inequalities globally, with over half of the world’s child brides from the region. Many adolescent girls eat last and least due to patriarchal norms and socioeconomic factors, leading to higher rates of underweight and malnutrition compared to the global average. We propose a multifaceted action plan to address these issues, including robust monitoring of gender inequities in nutrition, identifying gender equity potential in nutrition policies, allocating resources to support adolescent girls’ leadership in nutrition and education programs, and prioritising nutrition-sensitive policies that economically support and protect girls in government mandates in the region.
Read the full article in BMJ: Addressing systemic exclusion and gender norms to improve nutritional outcomes for adolescent girls in South Asia
Read more about Dr Navoda Liyana Pathirana‘s research.
“By identifying the specific challenges and needs of younger women, we can support equality in the timely diagnosis of early-onset colorectal cancer. The rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer highlights the urgent need to enhance our understanding of delays in diagnostic pathways for the growing number of women affected.”
Dr Rebecca Bergin, Centre for Quality and Patient Safety Research
The incidence of early-onset colorectal (bowel) cancer in Australia, and globally, is rising. Of concern, adults aged under 50 are more likely to present with later stage disease, suggesting delays in care. Young women in particular may experience delays in diagnosis. Symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue or anaemia in women can be attributed to gynaecological conditions. Becoming a parent is common in women in this age group, yet there is no evidence of the effects of pregnancy, post-partum changes or parental responsibilities on early-onset colorectal cancer diagnosis. Working with patients, this study will explore diagnostic pathways for women compared to men with early-onset colorectal cancer using linked data and patient surveys. This will generate essential evidence to inform the design of interventions, research and policy directions to support early diagnosis for women with early-onset colorectal cancer.
Read more about Dr Rebecca Bergin‘s research.
Read more about this year’s UN International Women’s Day, celebrated on 8 March 2025.
