Draft:SAGER guidelines

• Comment: In accordance with the Wikimedia Foundation's Terms of Use, I disclose that I have been paid by my employer for my contributions to this article. Gendroorg (talk) 17:32, 27 June 2025 (UTC)

---

The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines were created to enhance the reporting of sex and gender in scientific research. The guidelines were developed in collaboration with the European Association of Science Editors (EASE) and are listed in the EQUATOR Network. They aim to address the longstanding gap in scientific research, which leads to the misrepresentation or underrepresentation of sex and gender dimensions in research designs, data, analysis, and reporting. In doing this, the SAGER guidelines advocate for increased scientific quality, transparency and inclusiveness, by ensuring that sex and gender considerations are systematically included in research reporting. They encourage authors and publishers to recognise sex and gender as critical variables, to enhance the validity, generalisability and impact of research outcomes.

The SAGER guidelines were launched in 2016. Since then, they have encouraged the reporting of sex and gender variables across different disciplines, while also providing guidance for authors, editors, and publishers on how to incorporate sex and gender elements into research reporting.

SAGER guidelines. Sex and Gender Equity in Research guidelines Launched. 2016 URL. https://gendro.org/sager-guidelines/

Recommendations for: Authors: The SAGER guidelines encourage authors to use accurate terminology, e.g. they are encouraged to clearly distinguish between sex and gender in their research and reporting. Additionally, authors are called to disaggregate data by sex when possible and incorporate sex and gender analysis in the statistical evaluations. Finally, authors should always acknowledge and explain instances where such analysis is not possible and follow the SAGER checklist to ensure adequate reporting of sex and gender.

Editors: Editors are encouraged to provide editorial policies and review processes that assess sex and gender inclusivity, as well as inspire and aid authors to follow the SAGER guidelines. They are encouraged to include specific questions in the checklist used for screening submissions, to promote systemic, gender-informed review practices among editors.

Publishers: Publishers are encouraged to integrate the SAGER guidelines into submission systems and author guidelines. Additionally, publishers are called to train editors and peer reviewers in evaluating sex and gender manuscripts, as well as support policies promoting diverse representation in editorial boards and peer review.

History Following her election to the European Association of Science Editors (EASE) Council in 2012, Dr Shirin Heidari founded the EASE Gender Policy Committee, initiating collaboration to address the widespread neglect of sex and gender differences in research. Co‑chaired by Dr  Heidari and Dr  Babor, and supported by a diverse group of experts, including editors, science communicators, and researchers, the Committee set out to embed consistent sex- and gender-aware reporting within scientific publishing. Following an extensive consultative process, this commitment culminated in the launch of the SAGER (Sex and Gender Equity in Research) guidelines in 2016.

The SAGER guidelines introduced an international framework encouraging a systematic, discipline-spanning approach to integrating sex and gender dimensions at every stage of research, from design to analysis and results dissemination. Since their release, the guidelines have been taken up by numerous notable academic publishers, such as Elsevier as well as by leading organisations, such as the World Health Organisation. In 2023 the mandate of the EASE Gender Policy Committee ended. Since then the work has been carried on by GENDRO, whose goal is the cultivation of a ‘gender-responsive research ecosystem’.

Impact of SAGER guidelines

Since its 2016 release, the SAGER guidelines have significantly elevated research quality and relevance by fostering more accurate, equitable, and clinically applicable findings. Their adoption has strengthened editorial standards, as many publishers now require stricter author guidelines, and initial submission screenings, and demand greater transparency and completeness in manuscript reporting. This shift has broadened awareness and prompted training on sex - and gender-sensitive research methods across academia and publishing.

Notably, major research funders like the European Commission and the U.S. National Institutes of Health increasingly require or reward the integration of sex and gender analysis in grant proposals, further incentivising compliance. By offering a common framework for sex-and gender-conscious work, the SAGER guidelines have simplified cross-disciplinary research, particularly in fields where such dimensions were traditionally overlooked.

The SAGER guidelines were adopted by the World Health Organization in 2023, reflecting growing international recognition. Additionally, they have been translated into: Chinese, English, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese and have been accessed over 1.12 million times, with nearly 700 citations. This broadening global acceptance highlights their global impact in shaping more transparent, gender-responsive science.

Related initiatives EQUATOR Network NIH Sex as a Biological Variable Horizon Europe Gender Equality Requirements

External links: GENDRO European Association of Science Editors

Sources: European Commission. (2023). Gender Equality in Horizon Europe – Guidance for Proposals. https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/gender-equality-plan-guidance_en.pdf

EQUATOR Network. (n.d.). SAGER Guidelines: Sex and Gender Equity in Research.https://www.equator-network.org/reporting-guidelines/sager-guidelines/

GENDRO. (2024). SAGER Guidelines. https://gendro.org/sager-guidelines/

Heidari, S., Babor, T. F., De Castro, P., Tort, S., & Curno, M. (2016). Sex and Gender Equity in Research: Rationale for the SAGER Guidelines and Recommended Use. Research Integrity and Peer Review, 1(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41073-016-0007-6

National Institutes of Health. (n.d.). National Institutes of Health (NIH). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.https://www.nih.gov/

World Health Organization. (2024). Integrating sex and gender in health research: WHO Adopts the SAGER Guidelines. https://www.who.int/news/item/20-03-2024-who-endorses-the-sager-guidelines