Last updated: January 2026 ยท Effective: January 2026 ยท Version: 2.0
Our Commitment to You
The International Journal of Data, Health and Development Studies (IJDHDS) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. We only collect what we need, we never sell your data, and we never share it with third parties for marketing purposes.
This Privacy Statement applies to all users of ijdhds.health โ including visitors, registered users, authors, reviewers, and editors. It explains how we comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy laws.
What Data We Collect
We collect different types of information depending on how you interact with us:
Account Information
When you register, we collect: name, email address, ORCID iD (optional), affiliation, country, and password (encrypted).
Submission Data
When you submit a manuscript, we store the manuscript, metadata (title, abstract, keywords), author information, and all correspondence related to the submission.
Peer Review Data
Reviewer reports, recommendation decisions, and confidential comments are stored securely and only accessible to editorial staff.
Usage Data
We automatically collect: IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, time spent, and referral source. This is anonymized and used for analytics.
Communication Data
Emails you send us, contact form submissions, and messages within the OJS system.
Cookies
Session cookies for login and site functionality. See the
Cookies section for details.
How We Use Your Data
We use your information for the following purposes:
Publish Your Research
To process submissions, manage peer review, publish accepted articles, and index with DOI, Crossref, and other databases.
Communication
To send you editorial communications, review invitations, decisions, and journal announcements.
Site Improvement
To analyze usage patterns and improve our website, submission system, and user experience.
Security
To detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access to our systems.
Legal Compliance
To comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
What We Never Do
We never sell your personal data. We never share your data with advertisers or marketing companies. We never use your data for profiling or automated decision-making.
Legal Basis for Processing
Under GDPR, we must have a legal basis for processing your personal data. We rely on the following:
Contract
Processing necessary to fulfil our agreement with you (e.g., publishing your article).
Consent
Processing based on your explicit consent (e.g., newsletter subscriptions โ you can withdraw anytime).
Legitimate Interest
For improving our services, preventing fraud, and ensuring site security.
Legal Obligation
When we are required by law to retain or disclose certain information.
Who We Share Data With
We only share your data with trusted third parties who help us operate the journal. Each is bound by strict data processing agreements:
Crossref
For DOI registration and article metadata (title, authors, abstract, DOI).
DOAJ, Google Scholar, Scopus, AJOL
For indexing โ only published article metadata is shared.
Email Service Providers
For sending editorial emails and notifications. They process emails on our behalf only.
Web Hosting Provider
For hosting our OJS installation. Servers are secured and access is restricted.
Public Information
Published articles โ including author names, affiliations, and contact emails โ become publicly available. This is a core feature of open-access publishing.
Data Retention
We retain your data only as long as necessary for the purposes described above. Here are the standard retention periods:
| Data Type |
Retention Period |
| Published articles |
Permanent (archive) |
| Rejected manuscripts |
2 years, then deleted |
| Peer review records |
5 years (COPE compliance) |
| User accounts |
Until you request deletion |
| Contact form messages |
12 months |
| Analytics data (anonymized) |
26 months |
How We Protect Your Data
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data:
HTTPS Encryption
All traffic to our site is encrypted with TLS/SSL.
Password Hashing
Passwords are hashed using industry-standard algorithms.
Access Control
Only authorized editorial staff can access submission data.
Regular Backups
Secure daily backups of all journal data.
Software Updates
OJS and server software kept up to date with security patches.
Breach Response
Notification to affected users within 72 hours of detecting a breach.
Cookies & Tracking
IJDHDS uses minimal cookies. We do not use any third-party advertising cookies, and we do not track users across other websites.
Essential Cookies (Required)
Session cookies that keep you logged in and remember your preferences. Without these, the site cannot function.
Analytics Cookies (Optional)
Anonymized usage data to help us understand how visitors use our site (e.g., page views, most-read articles).
Advertising Cookies (None)
IJDHDS does not use any advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Your Privacy Rights
Under GDPR and other privacy laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right to Access
Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
Right to Rectification
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to Erasure
Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten").
Right to Restrict
Request that we limit how we process your data.
Right to Portability
Receive your data in a machine-readable format.
Right to Object
Object to processing based on legitimate interest.
Right to Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent at any time (e.g., newsletter subscriptions).
Right to Complain
Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
How to Exercise Your Rights
Email privacy@ijdhds.org with your request. We will respond within 30 days as required by GDPR. There is no charge for exercising your rights.
Children's Privacy
IJDHDS is an academic journal intended for adult researchers and scholars. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us at privacy@ijdhds.org so we can delete it promptly.
International Data Transfers
IJDHDS serves an international community. When you access our website or submit a manuscript, your data may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your own, including Nigeria, where our editorial office is located, and other countries where our service providers operate.
Where data is transferred outside the EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Statement from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised.
For material changes, we will notify registered users by email and post a prominent notice on the website. Continued use of the site after any change constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Your Data, Your Rights
