Operationalizing the One Health approach at the intersection of research and development: a study protocol for the ELUZO project in Senegal and Burkina Faso
Marine Hubert, Magali Martin, Hélène Carabin, Jane Parmley, Maude Gilbert-Vanasse, Alexis Kafando, Rosalie Seck, Heather M. Murphy, Mouhamadou Faly Ba, Abdoul Kader Ilboudo, Rianatou Bada Alambédji, Malek Batal, Abel Bicaba, Frank Lionel Bouéko Bicaba, Rosanne Blanchet, François M. Castonguay, Amadou Ibra Diallo, Fatou Diop, Thomas Druetz, Marie Jobin‑Gélinas, Asséta Kagambéga, Adama Kazienga, Sylvie Korogo, Muriel Mac-Seing, Marie‑Douce Primeau, Mylène Ratelle, Ndeye Mareme Sougou, Philomène Coumba Tine, Zékiba Tarnagda, Adama Faye, Michèle Bouchard
ABSTRACTSmall-scale livestock farming remains central to food security and income-generation in several low and middle countries (LMIC), but it can also be an important source of zoonoses in areas where access to water and sanitation is poor. The role played by women in this sector is often overlooked. ELUZO is an international, intersectoral, and multidisciplinary One Health project that aims to reduce the impact of zoonotic diseases and empower women in rural communities in Senegal and Burkina Faso. The project adopts a women-centered approach, integrating development and research using a Theory of Change (ToC) framework to combine measurement tools that meet Global Affairs Canada’s requirements with scientific rigour. As part of the study protocol, we co-designed tools to collect baseline data using mixed methods to generate a comprehensive picture of the human, animal and environmental health concerns in each participating community. The baseline findings were then used to guide selection and design of interventions. The decision-making process of the project is carried out collaboratively with community members, ensuring local realities and needs are reflected. The final stage of the project will be implementation and assessment of the effectiveness of the community interventions. Additionally, the team will provide training sessions on One Health and gender equity. This paper describes the study protocol developed to guide the ELUZO project. The protocol includes the governance structure, objectives and methods used to design a gender-sensitive, community-driven and multisectoral One Health intervention project to reduce the impacts of zoonotic disease in low-resource settings. Paper Context Main findings: The paper describes a women-centered, community-driven framework to operationalize a One Health approach in rural Africa to fight against zoonoses.Added knowledge: The study demonstrates the importance of integrating gender equity, participatory methods and