Skip to main content

Call for papers - Women's role in politics and public life

Guest Editors
Roopa Dhatt, MD, MPA, Georgetown University, USA
Anna Kalbarczyk, DrPH, Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, USA


Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 7 December 2025
 

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on Women's role in politics and public life. We invite research that delves into the role of women in politics and public life, focusing on their leadership, participation, and the challenges they face. We welcome studies that examine gender equality, women's rights, and the impact of women's economic participation on public policy and health outcomes, with the aim of fostering a more inclusive political landscape.


New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Meet the Guest Editors

Back to top

Roopa Dhatt, MD, MPA, Georgetown University; Women in Global Health, USA

Dr Roopa Dhatt is a passionate advocate for gender equality in global health and a leading voice in the movement to correct the gender imbalance in global health leadership. She is also a practicing Internal Medicine physician in Washington, D.C. Dr Dhatt is particularly committed to addressing issues of power, privilege, and intersectionality that keep many women from global health leadership roles and to opening up spaces for the voices of these women to be heard. Determined to build a movement to transform women’s leadership opportunities in health, Dr Dhatt co-founded Women in Global Health in 2015. Today, Women in Global Health has 58 chapters, in 50+ countries, and continues to grow.

Anna Kalbarczyk, DrPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health; Johns Hopkins Gender and Health Summer Institute, USA

Dr Anna Kalbarczyk is a global health mixed-methods researcher specializing in implementation science, gender equity, and women’s leadership. With expertise in organizational capacity strengthening, she explores how evidence-based strategies can enhance program effectiveness and sustainability. Dr Kalbarczyk applies a gender-responsive lens to health research, ensuring that policies and interventions address structural inequities. Through interdisciplinary collaborations, she advances knowledge on how implementation science can drive equitable health outcomes and inform decision-making in low- and middle-income countries.

About the Collection

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to our Collection on Women's role in politics and public life. The role of women in politics and public life has gained increasing attention as societies strive for more inclusive governance and equitable representation. Historically, women's participation in political processes has been marginalized, leading to significant disparities in decision-making power and public policy outcomes. This Collection seeks to explore the diverse roles women play in political spheres and public life, examining not only their representation in elected positions but also their contributions to advocacy, community organizing, and public health initiatives.

Understanding the dynamics of women's roles in politics is crucial for advancing gender equality and improving public health outcomes. Research has shown that when women are involved in decision-making processes, it leads to more comprehensive and effective policies, particularly in areas such as health, education, and social welfare. 

This Collection will spotlight these advancements while also addressing the ongoing barriers women face in public and political spheres. By identifying successful strategies and practices, future studies can contribute to the development of frameworks that support women's leadership and influence in all areas of public life.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Women's economic participation in politics
  • Gender equality and public policy
  • Women's leadership in public health
  • Barriers to women's political participation
  • The impact of women's rights advocacy on public health outcomes
  • Strategies for enhancing women's leadership in political decision-making


This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 5: Gender Equality and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.


Image credit: © SDI Productions / Getty Images / iStock

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

Back to top

This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Women's role in politics and public life" from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.