Sylvia Esther Gyan

rebsl — Tue, 16 Sep 2025 15:47:22 +0000

Sylvia Esther Gyan (PhD) is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of Ghana and a visiting Professor at the Department of Sociology, �첥��Ƶ, with over a decade of experience in teaching and research. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses and actively mentors and supervises students. From December 2018 to November 2023, she was an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the College of Public Health, University of South Florida. In 2019, she was named an African Studies Association Carnegie Corporation of New York Scholar.

Sylvia’s research focuses on the Sociology of Health, with emphasis on adolescent sexual and reproductive health, maternal health, and child marriage. Her broader academic interests include Family Demography, Gender Studies, Climate Change, Ageing, and Migration. She has contributed to several notable projects, including serving as Co-Principal Investigator on "Utilising AI to Promote Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes for Adolescents with Disabilities in Ghana," funded by IDRC through the Infectious Disease Institute’s HASH program (Feb. 2023 – July 2024). She currently leads a project funded by the Horizons Institute Pump-prime Fund, University of Leeds, titled “Co-Creating Resilient Communities for Female Adolescent Migrants (‘Kayayei’) in Ghana.” This project integrates sociological methods and participatory visual art approaches to explore the lived experiences of girls under 16 who migrate from northern Ghana to Accra to work as head porters. Sylvia has also conducted research on sexual behaviours among older adults in Ghana, addressing a critical gap in global health literature. While most studies in this area originate from the Global North, her work brings much-needed focus to the sociocultural dynamics of ageing and sexuality in sub-Saharan Africa, a topic often considered taboo.

Her expertise and research continue to inform and influence discussions on health, gender, and development both within Ghana and beyond. Her research has been published in high-quality international journals, including Current Sociology, Archives of Sexual Behaviour, and Journal of Biosocial Science.

Beyond academic scholarship, Sylvia is deeply committed to collaborative research that addresses pressing societal challenges. Her work frequently centres on women in vulnerable situations, to inform policies and interventions that enhance their well-being.

Keywords: Africa, Ghana, Adolescent, Health, Migration, Climate Change, HIV, Intimate Partner Violence, Gender

Omolola Afolabi

rebsl — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 15:17:50 +0000

Omolola Afolabi, an independent journalist residing in South-Western Nigeria, has written investigations in publications including The Nation Newspaper, The Cable, The International Centre for Investigative Reporting, HumAngle, and Sahara Reporters.

A grant recipient of the Pulitzer Centre and a fellow of the Centre for Journalism Innovation Development, the National Resource and Extractives Resource Fellowship, and the 2022 West Africa Climate Fellowship, she is also engaged in academic pursuits. Afolabi advocates for the rights of out-of-school children, persons with disabilities, and indigenous communities, in addition to addressing issues on climate and environmental protection.

She convened the inaugural Freedom in Nigeria Conference and the Africa No Filter dialogue on unbiased media, and has delivered training to journalists at Code for Africa and the Liberalist Centre Media Workshop. As a scholar at Harriet Tubman University, �첥��Ƶ, she aims to generate original narratives to stimulate significant discourse, policy formulation, and societal impact.

Keywords: Slavery, Heritage Sites, Preservation, Climate Change, Sand Mining, Collectuve Healing, Historical Site, Coastal Communities

Climate Change | The Harriet Tubman Institute

Sylvia Esther Gyan

Omolola Afolabi