“A beautiful chaos¨: a qualitative study on exploring the role of international communities of practice in knowledge translation for sexual and reproductive health and rights
Abstract
Persistent knowledge-to-action gaps in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) limit the translation of evidence into policy and practice. Knowledge platform Share-Net International (SNI) uses Communities of Practice (CoPs) to support knowledge exchange, yet little is known about how CoPs facilitate knowledge translation.This study examined how CoPs across SNI’s hubs translate SRHR knowledge into action and identified contextual factors shaping these processes. A transdisciplinary qualitative study (October 2024–January 2025) was conducted across eight SNI hubs. CoP members and facilitators with at least three months of involvement were purposely sampled. Data were transcribed verbatim and analysed inductively using thematic analysis in Atlas.ti (http://atlas.ti/) guided by the knowledge-to-action framework and triangulated through member-checking. Outcomes included knowledge translation processes, CoP functioning, and contextual factors. CoPs create context-specific knowledge, facilitate learning spaces, and produce knowledge products. However, significant gaps were observed in dissemination planning and M&E, limiting the ability to assess impact. Political resistance, conservative norms, power dynamics, and crises were challenges to effective functioning, while supportive policies, activism, and cross-hub learning created opportunities. Strategies to strengthen CoP effectiveness were proposed. CoPs hold strong potential to advance knowledge translation for SRHR, but their effectiveness depends on structured dissemination, learning-oriented M&E, and approaches responsive to local contexts. As CoPs operate within power structures, their ability to contribute to equitable SRHR outcomes is shaped by the environments in which they function. Strengthening facilitation, resources, and cross-hub collaboration may enhance effectiveness, and longitudinal research is recommended to assess sustained policy and practice change.
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Authors: Noa E.M. Kolpa, Nicole Moran, Joyce L. Browne, Julia Addison, Martin Heine, Dorine Thomissen, Manouk A. W. van de Klundert, Jeroen van Dillen, Robert Borst, Dima Abusharkh, Jannatul Munia, Laura Cala-Vergel, Julia Ahmed, Edgard Mugenzi, Zoungrana Issoufou, Adriana M. Pérez-Rodríguez, Lindsay van Clief, Semenhe Fekadu, Jan Reynders, Shannon Mathew, Razan Al-Azzeh, on behalf of the Community of Practice Study Group
Institutions: Research for Action, Erasmus University Rotterdam, University of Jordan, University Medical Center Utrecht, Institute for Reproductive Health, Gender Studies, Association of University Centers on Disabilities, Center for Global Health, Knowledge Foundation, Sexual Health Clinic, Population Council, Amalia Kinderziekenhuis, Cal Humanities, International Centre for Reproductive Health, Federación Colombiana de Obstetricia y Ginecología, Center for Health and Gender Equity, Women's and Gender Studies et Recherches Féministes, Oxfam, American Public Health Association, Sonke Gender Justice