GENDRO.ORG

What GENDRO.ORG does

GENDRO is a Geneva-based international non-profit association operating under Swiss law, founded by Dr. Shirin Heidari to address persistent sex and gender bias in research and data. Its core intellectual products are the SAGER (Sex and Gender Equity in Research) guidelines, first published in 2016 and marking a decade of adoption in 2026, alongside derivative frameworks including SAGER-Ethics for Research Ethics Committees (launched 2025) and GIST for Intersectional Analysis in Science and Technology (published 2025). The organization provides no commercial products or services; instead, it monetizes impact through a freemium advocacy model supported by partnerships, grants, and member contributions, distributing frameworks via top-tier peer-reviewed journals (The Lancet, Nature, BMJ Global Health), international conferences, and direct engagement with WHO, CIOMS, swissethics, and other institutional gatekeepers.

The organization's GTM motion is community-led and event-driven, anchored by the Gender, Evidence, and Health (GEH) Network, which convenes 150+ members from civil society, academia, and research institutions worldwide. Membership and resources are provided free of charge, while strategic value is captured through endorsement-based advocacy campaigns (Urgent Plea, Consensus Statement, Call for Action), scholarly publications, and formal partnerships with academic and policy institutions. GENDRO does not employ AI/ML technology, APIs, or software products; its operational technology consists of a website, a private Google Groups-based knowledge center for network members, and standard editorial workflows. The organization is founder-led with 9 employees and operates on an unspecified but small budget, with influence derived primarily from framework authority and institutional embedding rather than financial scale.

Name

GENDRO.ORG

Legal name

GENDRO

Website

https://gendro.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GENDRO is a Geneva-based international non-profit association that develops and advocates for sex- and gender-equity frameworks in research, primarily through the SAGER guidelines, and convenes a global network of researchers, ethics committees, and policymakers to advance gender-responsive evidence generation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research Advocacy and Gender-Equity Guidelines

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJACAG

Clinical Research Ethics & Human Subjects Protection Authorities (IRB/REC Oversight)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Health Policy, Regulation & Compliance Authorities

SECONDARYBPADAIAD

Sexual & Reproductive Health & Family Planning (SRH/FP) Programs

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Global Health & Population Programs

Keywords

• Gender-responsive research
• Research equity guidelines
• Sex and gender equity
• Global health advocacy
• Scientific publishing standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Network Services: GENDRO operates a membership-based Gender, Evidence, and Health (GEH) Network. Members receive access to a private knowledge center on a Google Group Listserve, mailing list communications, event invitations, and networking opportunities. Membership is free.
2. Endorsement-Based Advocacy Campaigns: GENDRO runs endorsement-based advocacy campaigns (Urgent Plea, Consensus Statement, Call for Action) where individuals and organizations endorse or lend their logo to support advocacy positions. This drives awareness and adoption of gender-responsive research principles.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GENDRO develops and disseminates scholarly guidelines and advocacy frameworks for integrating sex and gender considerations into the research lifecycle, led by the SAGER guidelines and supplemented by SAGER-Ethics and GIST frameworks. It convenes the Gender, Evidence, and Health (GEH) Network of 150+ members from civil society, academia, and research bodies, and runs endorsement-based advocacy campaigns (Urgent Plea, Consensus Statement, Call for Action) targeting research institutions, journals, ethics committees, and global health organizations.

Product overview

GENDRO is a non-governmental organization (NGO) operating under Swiss law with a mission to advance equity through the integration of sex and gender dimensions in research across disciplines. GENDRO does not offer a technology product or software platform. Its primary offerings are advocacy initiatives, guidelines frameworks (notably the SAGER guidelines), the GEH Network, publications, and events related to gender-responsive research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEH Network: Gender, Evidence, and Health Network - a coalition of members from civil society, grassroot organizations, and academic institutions dedicated to advancing gender equality, health equity, and social justice.
• SAGER Guidelines
• SAGER-Ethics

Products and services

• SAGER Guidelines The Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER) guidelines are a globally recognized framework for integrating sex and gender considerations across the research lifecycle (study design, data collection, analysis, reporting, and knowledge translation). They are designed for use by researchers, journal editors, funders, and ethics committees, and are cited across disciplines to close gender evidence gaps.
• SAGER-Ethics Guidelines SAGER-Ethics is an adaptation of the SAGER guidelines tailored for Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). It supports ethics reviewers in evaluating sex and gender considerations during protocol review and harmonizes ethical principles with sex- and gender-aware analysis.
• GIST Guidelines (Guidelines for Intersectional Analysis in Science and Technology) The GIST Guidelines provide a framework for conducting quantitative intersectional analysis across the research process, from setting strategic priorities to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. They are intended for researchers, editors, and funders seeking to integrate intersectional factors alongside sex and gender in science and technology research.
• Gender, Evidence, and Health (GEH) Network The GEH Network is GENDRO's membership-based community of more than 150 experts, advocates, and researchers from civil society, academia, and research bodies worldwide. Members receive access to a private knowledge center on a Google Groups Listserve, mailing-list communications, event invitations, and networking opportunities to advance gender-responsive research; membership is free.
• Endorsement-Based Advocacy Campaigns (Urgent Plea, Consensus Statement, Call for Action) Endorsement-based advocacy campaigns allow individuals and organizations to lend their name or logo to GENDRO's positions on gender-responsive research, health equity, and pandemic preparedness. The campaigns include the Urgent Plea, the Consensus Statement for a Gender-Responsive International Pandemic Instrument, and the Call for Action, and are used to drive awareness and adoption of GENDRO's principles.

Quantifiable outcome

• SAGER guidelines cited in over 2 million accesses with a target of 2 million by 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss TPH (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 December 2025Swiss TPH and GENDRO signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing a partnership grounded in shared commitment to inclusive research practices. The MoU signals Swiss TPH's commitment to implement the SAGER guidelines as part of its broader strategic commitment to responsible and inclusive science. Dr. Shirin Heidari delivered a keynote at the signing event on December 15, 2025.
• SAGER-Ethics Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025The SAGER-Ethics Working Group was launched in March 2025 to adapt SAGER guidelines for use by Research Ethics Committees (RECs) and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs). The group comprises 10-12 members from research ethics, gender studies, and research governance across academia, public institutions, and the private sector. Co-Chairs are Shirin Heidari and Roli Mathur (ICMR, India).
• WHO (World Health Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023GENDRO provides technical support to WHO to strengthen the integration of sex and gender dimensions in health research, policy, and programming. The organization also participated in civil society dialogue with the WHO Director-General on achieving a gender-transformative COVID-19 response.
• CIOMS (Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In 2023, GENDRO co-convened a multistakeholder dialogue with CIOMS to explore how RECs can support the harmonization of SAGER recommendations. CIOMS guidelines outline ethical principles (respect for people, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence, scientific and social value, transparency, accountability) that SAGER-Ethics seeks to strengthen through a sex and gender lens.
• Geneva Graduate Institute (Gender Centre)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGENDRO is affiliated with the Gender Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute. Dr. Shirin Heidari is Principal Investigator of the Liminality Research Consortium at the Gender Centre, leading a collaborative multi-country project on sexual and reproductive health and rights in forced displacement. The Gender Centre co-endorsed the Consensus Statement.
• EASE (European Association of Science Editors)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGENDRO co-organizes events with EASE, including the SAGER@10 webinar on May 5, 2026. Dr. Shirin Heidari is the founding chair of EASE's Gender Policy Committee. EASE supports the dissemination and broader uptake of SAGER guidelines globally, beyond the English language.
• Springer NatureminorOthersSpringer Nature publishes the SAGER guidelines article and provides data on guidelines accesses (as of June 2026, approaching 2 million accesses by 2026). They are a key publishing partner for the guidelines and related outputs.
• Harm Reduction InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHarm Reduction International endorsed the Consensus Statement for a Gender-Responsive International Pandemic Instrument, joining a coalition of civil society organizations and academic institutions committed to gender equality and women's rights.
• Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMMV endorsed the Consensus Statement on a gender-responsive pandemic instrument, contributing to the civil society coalition advocating for gender-responsive evidence in pandemic prevention.
• Women in Global HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWomen in Global Health (WGH) and Women in Global Health Switzerland co-endorsed the Consensus Statement and collaborate on events such as the Women in Science dialogue.
• Global Action on Men's HealthminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal Action on Men's Health endorsed the Consensus Statement, advocating for gender-responsive approaches that also address men's health within the context of gender equality.
• Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDNDi endorsed the Consensus Statement, joining the coalition for gender-responsive pandemic preparedness and evidence generation.
• swissethicscoreStrategic or Co-development Partnerswissethics established a working group in 2023 to develop the 'SAGER-swissethics recommendations,' promoting integration of sex and gender dimensions in Swiss health research. This led to a publication in Swiss Medical Weekly (December 2024) on improving sex and gender equity in research protocols.
• Nature Publishing GroupminorOthersNature published 'Intersectional analysis for science and technology' (April 9, 2025) as part of GENDRO's work on intersectional analysis frameworks, providing a key platform for dissemination of these guidelines.
• GEH Network Members (Civil Society and Research Institutions)coreOthersThe GEH Network is a coalition of over 150 members from civil society, grassroot organizations, academic institutions, and others dedicated to advancing gender equality, health equity, and social justice. The network is a key distribution and advocacy channel for GENDRO's work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• European Association of Science Editors (EASE): An international membership association for editors of scientific journals. Comparable as an ecosystem partner influencing journal editorial standards; Dr. Heidari is a founding chair of EASE's Gender Policy Committee, and the organizations co-organize the SAGER@10 webinar series.
• CIOMS: Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences — an international organization that issues ethical guidelines for health research. Comparable as a standards-setting body in research ethics; an existing GENDRO partner for SAGER-Ethics harmonization.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women: The United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A broader incumbent operating at a much larger scale in the same gender-equity space, with policy influence across global health and development.

Direct peers

• ATHENA Network: A global network advancing gender equity and human rights in the HIV response. Comparable in network-driven advocacy model, focus on integrating gender considerations in health research and policy, and partnership with civil society.
• Equality Now: An international human rights organization working to end legal and systemic discrimination against women and girls. Comparable in advocacy approach, global scope, and focus on gender rights through policy and legal reform.
• Women in Global Health: An international advocacy organization working to achieve gender equality in global health leadership and policy. Direct peer in mission, scope, and global health advocacy focus; already a GENDRO coalition partner that endorsed the Consensus Statement.
• WomenLift Health: A non-profit advancing women in health leadership through research, leadership programs, and advocacy. Comparable in mission focus on women's advancement in global health and use of network-driven models.
• International Women's Health Coalition: An advocacy organization advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights globally. Comparable in advocacy-driven model, international scope, and policy focus on gender equity in health.
• Global 50/50: A global non-profit tracking gender equality in global health research and policy through its Global 50/50 report. Highly comparable to GENDRO in mission and analytical approach to addressing gender bias in health research evidence.
• Sonke Gender Justice: A South African non-profit working on gender equality, health, and human rights across Africa. Comparable in community-driven advocacy model and focus on gender-responsive policy and research in global health.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gendro-org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about GENDRO.ORG