“Je suis désolé, je parle français”: How English Hegemony Undermines Efforts to Shift Power in Global Health

Key Messages

• While efforts to shift power in global health have been ongoing, professionals have done little to address English language hegemony in the field of sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

• English hegemony excludes populations and undermines localization efforts.

• English hegemony limits diverse representation in SRH, further burdens already disadvantaged groups, opposes priorities to localize and shift power, and stifles innovation.

• We propose immediate and long-term actions that organizations and individuals can take to move toward a more linguistically inclusive global SRH community.