Review Policy
African Gender Studies Quarterly follows a double-blind peer review process, where both authors and reviewers remain anonymous throughout. The journal ensures timely decisions on manuscript acceptance or rejection. Manuscripts that do not fall within the journal’s aim and scope or fail to meet editorial standards are not sent for review.

Responsibilities of Reviewers
Reviewers play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record by adhering to the following guidelines:

• Conflicts of Interest: Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts, including personal, financial, intellectual, professional, political, or religious interests. If conflicts exist, reviewers should decline the assignment.
• Timeliness: Reviewers should respond promptly to review invitations and accept only if they can meet the deadline. If circumstances change, they should inform the journal and suggest alternatives if possible.
• Conducting a Review: Reviewers should thoroughly evaluate the manuscript and any supplementary materials while maintaining confidentiality.
• Ethics Violations: Any suspected ethical issues, such as plagiarism or research misconduct, must be reported to the editor immediately; reviewers should not investigate independently.
• Transferability of Peer Review: Reviewers may be asked to transfer their reports to other journals within the publisher’s portfolio, providing their original review and noting any necessary adjustments.

Preparing a Review Report
Reviewers should follow the journal’s guidelines when writing reports. Reports must be objective, constructive, and specific, helping authors improve their work. All elements of the review process must remain confidential. Reviewers should avoid hostile or defamatory comments and ensure that their recommendations to accept, revise, or reject are consistent with their feedback. Suggested changes should aim to improve clarity without imposing unnecessary additional analyses. Reviews must be conducted independently unless otherwise approved by the editor, and reviewers should not delay the process or recommend citations for personal gain.

Responsibilities of Authors
Authors are expected to uphold scholarly integrity by:

• Conflicts of Interest: Declaring any personal, financial, intellectual, professional, political, or religious competing interests.
• Timeliness: Responding promptly to review feedback and submitting revisions within the requested timeframe. Authors must notify the editor if circumstances prevent timely responses.

Post-Review Considerations
Reviewers should be willing to assess revised or resubmitted manuscripts and respond promptly to journal inquiries. Any new information that could affect the original review must be communicated to the journal. Confidentiality must be maintained even after the review process is complete.