Strengthening Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Africa's Research and Innovation Ecosystems

A synthesis of evidence, insights, and lessons from the RISA Fund programme in Africa, 2021–2026, GESI Deep Dive Study Report. This GESI study examines how the Research and Innovation Systems for Africa (RISA) Fund has supported gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) across research and innovation ecosystems in six African countries from 2021-2026. The study was conducted to understand the extent of RISA's influence, identify successful strategies used by awardees, and generate lessons and recommendations to strengthen future GESI integration. The review draws on a desk study of RISA documents, monitoring data, and ten key informant interviews with awardees and country teams. The analysis explored ecosystem level outcomes, institutional practices, and inclusive participation across the programme. The findings show that RISA helped increase awareness and action on GESI across universities, accelerators, innovation hubs, and policy actors. Awardees contributed to policy reforms, such as Ghana's disability inclusion blueprint, and helped embed GESI practices within institutions through guidelines, budget allocations, and more inclusive leadership structures. Direct support to women, youth, and persons with disabilities through mentorship, funding, training, and visibility platforms also strengthened participation in research and innovation spaces.