Leaving No One Behind in Research, and the Protection-Inclusion Dilemma for Vulnerable Groups

Abstract

AbstractLeaving no one behind is the main transformative promise of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It encapsulates the 21st-century mission of inclusion. This chapter introduces the main mission of this book: leaving no one behind in research. It provides the context for all the chapters that follow by explaining what it means to leave no one behind in research, how the protection-inclusion dilemma for vulnerable groups and individuals is generated, and how risks and mistrust in research might be reduced. The book was written in collaboration with two groups who are traditionally labelled as highly vulnerable and are therefore often excluded from research: the South African San community and an impoverished sex worker community in Nairobi. Working closely throughout all research stages with the two communities, including co-authorship of this book, we prioritised research-participant needs over researcher needs, aiming for minimally risky and minimally burdensome research, as well as increased trust in researchers. This involved foregoing the collection of personal data and obtaining all research input through community researchers. It led to a potential alternative to exclusion from research, namely research led by vulnerable groups for vulnerable groups.