What if our most trusted research methods are not just flawed, but actively harmful? What happens when the very tools we use to understand poverty and work systematically erase women's lives and rural realities?   Research can either reinforce inequality or dismantle it. In Africa, where patriarchal systems shape every institution, our research methods matter more than most acknowledge. Feminist research does not simply add women to existing frameworks. It fundamentally chall

What happens when our research documents women's empowerment while systematically erasing their oppression?   My first consultancy assignment taught me how research can miss everything that matters. I was the only woman and national consultant on a team studying a major road project. The terms of reference required attention to gender and other cross-cutting issues. The team leader assigned all these issues to me. The international experts handled the serious technical work.

What is the purpose of research? Is it to generate academic publications? Is it to catalogue problems? Or is it to create wish lists for donors? We must think carefully about this. Have you ever asked questions that cause more harm than good to the respondent? Consider a young woman who has experienced sexual violence. She already carries trauma. Your research questions can retraumatise her. This is violence.   Do you seek proper permission before asking sensitive questions?