Methodological Considerations for Analysing Gender Perspectives on Medicine in North Africa: An African Framework for Application in Eswatini

Research on gender perspectives in medicine in African contexts frequently employs frameworks from the Global North, which may not adequately reflect local socio-cultural realities. This gap is significant in regions like North Africa and in nations such as Eswatini, where distinct gender dynamics intersect with specific historical and healthcare structures. This methodology article aims to develop a context-sensitive African framework for analysing gender perspectives on medicine. Its objectives are to detail the framework's construction, its deliberate adaptation for application in Eswatini, and to provide guidelines for its implementation. The methodology entailed a critical synthesis of existing African feminist and social science literature, alongside an analysis of documented healthcare practices in North Africa. This informed the construction of a conceptual framework, which was subsequently adapted through a desk-based scenario analysis to ensure its relevance to Eswatini. The process is grounded in qualitative, participatory principles. As a methodology article, it presents no empirical results. The principal output is the developed framework, which is structured around three interlinked analytical themes: the negotiation of authority in clinical encounters, the gendered experience of therapeutic pathways, and the intersection of formal and informal care systems. A key methodological directive is to prioritise women’s narratives of ‘treatment journeys’ over isolated clinical interactions. The proposed framework provides a structured, culturally-grounded tool for investigating gender and medicine in African settings. It offers a relevant analytical alternative to imported models for use in Eswatini, potentially improving the local validity of research. Researchers applying this framework in Eswatini should engage local community advisors during study design. Future work should employ the framework in empirical studies to evaluate its utility and refine its components. gender analysis, medical anthropology, research methodology, Eswatini, North Africa, healthcare access, African feminism. This article contributes a tailored methodological framework for analysing gender perspectives in African medical contexts, specifically adapted for Eswatini.