Implementing youth advisory boards with sexual minority adolescents and young men: sharing experiences, challenges and opportunities from East, South, and West Africa

Clinical trials involving sexual minority adolescents and young men in low- and middle-income countries have historically been limited due to a combination of structural, social, and scientific barriers that often hinder their participation. In addition, researchers lack the cultural competence or knowledge of inclusive recruitment strategies to effectively engage these populations. In this commentary, we describe the experiences, challenges, and opportunities in establishing youth advisory boards as a pathway to entry into the community, overcoming exclusion, building trust, and incorporating the voices of under-served sexual minority adolescents and young men in clinical trials and the development of community-informed interventions. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06350682. Registered on February 10, 2026.