Abstract It has been suggested that the ultimate function of academic research is not simply publication in arcane journals, but to assist in rebuilding our social realities. Therefore, free access to information is could be considered a basic human right in the current information age. Mutual exchange of scientific knowledge between developed and developing countries maybe essential for reducing global health inequalities and improving human development index (HDI). For instance, free exchange of biomedical research information could be of enormous benefit in bridging the 10/90 gap, whereby 90% of global research funding is directed towards finding cures for diseases affecting 10% of human populations. However, recent scientometric analysis of worldwide publications revealed that researchers from developing countries produced approximately 10% of global academic publications, while those from Europe, North America, and China, produce over 80% of scientific publications. This skewed publication data maybe attributed not only to resource constraints in developing countries, but other factors like institutionalized racism, bias against diseases of poverty, Mathew effect, and poor representation of developing country researchers in editorial/advisory boards of high impact international scientific journals. This paper interrogates the evidence for such discriminatory practices, from the perspectives of viewpoint discrimination, global justice, and human rights. Minimizing such putative limitations on free speech may require improved diversity of journal editorial/advisory boards, better acknowledgment of joint technology innovations, and other affirmative actions, thereby assisting in closing the information gap, curtail global health inequities, and improve overall global human development index.

Submitted to www.masakhane.io/lacuna-fund/masakhane-mt-decolonise-science Language diversity project