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Global Health Justice


Illicit financial flows cost Africa $88 billion annually

Illicit financial flows cost Africa $88 billion annually

The African Union, in an August 2025 report, estimates that illicit financial flows (IFFs) cost countries in Africa $88 billion per year. IFFs are illicit or illegal funds derived from criminal activities and/or illegal tax practices that are moved or transferred across countries, including international trade manipulations (the most common),...

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Ship breaking and recyling’s global divide – wealth for some, danger for others

Ship breaking and recyling’s global divide – wealth for some, danger for others

Ship breaking and ship recycling is a billion-dollar industry that benefits economic giants in the Global North while leaving countries in the Global South, where environmental protections are weaker and labor laws are lax, to shoulder the environmental damage and human cost. Costs for workers include loss of health due...

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Sudan’s War and the Collapse of Global Responsibility

Sudan’s War and the Collapse of Global Responsibility

Since 2023, Sudan has been consumed by a brutal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has displaced more than 14 million people, more than in Ukraine and Gaza combined. Four million have fled across borders into impoverished neighbors such as Chad...

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The Lancet Sounds the Alarm on Global Plastics Crisis with New Health Countdown

The Lancet Sounds the Alarm on Global Plastics Crisis with New Health Countdown

As negotiations for a landmark Global Plastics Treaty intensify, a stark new report from The Lancet reveals the profound and growing threat plastics pose to both human and planetary health. Titled the "Countdown on Health and Plastics," the report issues a grave warning: plastics are an under-recognized danger, responsible for an...

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Art for global health equity

Art for global health equity

A July essay in PLOS Global Public Health argues that art and its expression are critically important in the struggle for global health equity.  Reñosa and his colleagues make the case that art can be leveraged to (1) to amplify disenfranchised voices, (2) to advance social justice activism, (3) to strengthen...

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Time to Reimagine PEPFAR

Time to Reimagine PEPFAR

In late July, The New York Times published an article regarding the State Department planning process for PEPFAR, indicating that they plan to discontinue the program in 2-8 years, depending on the country. PEPFAR resources would be transformed into a platform for rapid disease detection and outbreak response, establishing new...

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As Seattle Remembers Mandela’s Visit, a Reminder of the Power of Local Activism

As Seattle Remembers Mandela’s Visit, a Reminder of the Power of Local Activism

Seattle's Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) is honoring Nelson Mandela's legacy with a powerful community event and exhibition reflecting on his historic 1999 visit and the city's deep ties to the global anti-apartheid movement. The event and exhibit underscore how local movements, like the one in Seattle, can drive...

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Welcome to the Global Health Justice Website!

We aim to advance the struggle for global health justice by providing a platform and resources that explore fundamental drivers of health that are often absent in the conventional global health discourse. We recognize that global and national structures of domination, exploitation, and oppression play a crucial role in perpetuating poverty, disenfranchisement, and inequality – all of which have a profound impact on global health. Our goal is to expand our conversations to identify and better understand how injustice is perpetrated – and to work to transform power dynamics toward a fairer world.

By shedding light on these issues, we hope to promote a deeper understanding of the social and political determinants of health. To this end, we prioritize the perspectives and voices of those from the Global South, whose lived experiences and insights are essential for a truly comprehensive understanding of health justice.  We welcome contributions to the website, including relevant articles, videos, and artistic expression (eg, songs, poetry) to further explore these issues. We encourage our UW Global Health alumni to contribute to increase our collective awareness of the situation around the world.  Our website is a collaborative effort of faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the University of Washington Department of Global Health. 

Global Theft

Illicit financial flows cost Africa $88 billion annually

September 11, 2025

The African Union, in an August 2025 report, estimates that illicit financial flows (IFFs) cost countries in Africa $88 billion per year. IFFs are illicit or illegal funds derived from criminal activities and/or illegal tax practices that are moved or transferred across countries, including international trade manipulations (the most common), tax evasion, smuggling, government corruption, and money laundering. Nearly half of these losses come from the ‘extractive sector,’ mostly mining. IFFs are fundamental drivers of economic injustice, and enormously undermine…

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More on Global Theft

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: Global Theft, Corruption, Structural Adjustment Policies, Tax Evasion.
[BOOKS] on Global Theft
Tax justice network: The 4 Rs of tax justice
[VIDEO] Global Theft in Global Health

Reimagining Aid

Time to Reimagine PEPFAR

August 7, 2025

In late July, The New York Times published an article regarding the State Department planning process for PEPFAR, indicating that they plan to discontinue the program in 2-8 years, depending on the country. PEPFAR resources would be transformed into a platform for rapid disease detection and outbreak response, establishing new markets for American pharmaceuticals and technologies, and encouraging privatization of HIV services. The plans also call for an abrupt termination of funding for most efforts to prevent new infections, especially…

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More on Reimagining Aid

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: Reimagining Aid, Philanthrocapitalism.
[BOOKS] on Phantom Aid
Gates Foundation: Improve global health without addressing structural causes
Action Aid calls out “Phantom Aid” in 2005

Decolonization

Global health is at a critical juncture: Will we let the moment pass by?

April 30, 2025

History shows that institutions often change not gradually but through sharp disruptions—critical junctures. These are moments of profound uncertainty and instability, when the usual path is interrupted and a new direction becomes possible—even mandatory. The choices made during such periods by countries, governments, and communities can set trajectories that last for decades. In January 2025, global health entered such a moment. Stop work orders were issued for PEPFAR-funded activities and other U.S. global health programs across multiple countries, abruptly halting…

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More on Decolonization

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: Decolonization, Research & Partnerships.
[BOOKS] on Decolonization
How we talk about global health

War/ Militarism

Sudan’s War and the Collapse of Global Responsibility

August 31, 2025

Since 2023, Sudan has been consumed by a brutal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The violence has displaced more than 14 million people, more than in Ukraine and Gaza combined. Four million have fled across borders into impoverished neighbors such as Chad and South Sudan. Half the population is at risk of hunger and nearly all of Sudan’s children are out of school. Cholera spreads, malaria is endemic. But statistics cannot capture…

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More on War/ Militarism

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: War/Militarism.
[BOOKS] on War in Global Health
US remains top arms exporter and grows market share

Structural Violence

Ship breaking and recyling’s global divide – wealth for some, danger for others

September 5, 2025

Ship breaking and ship recycling is a billion-dollar industry that benefits economic giants in the Global North while leaving countries in the Global South, where environmental protections are weaker and labor laws are lax, to shoulder the environmental damage and human cost. Costs for workers include loss of health due to exposure to environmental toxins, injury and death.   Ship breaking is a forgotten issue, made palatable under the guise of “economic opportunity” for nations like Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India,…

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More on Structural Violence

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: Structural Violence, Social Determinants of Health.
[BOOKS] on Structural Violence
Post-Pandemic Austerity Shock worldwide – Reliefweb Report

Medical Apartheid

Barred from Healing: Denial of Qualified Medical Care Deepens Humanitarian Crises

April 28, 2025

This article is written in Arabic and English. For the English version, please see below. في مناطق النزاع حول العالم، يمكن أن يكون الوصول إلى المهنيين الطبيين المؤهلين هو الفارق بين الحياة والموت. ولا يوجد مكان يتجلى فيه هذا الأمر أكثر من غزة، حيث أدى الحصار المتعمد على العاملين في مجال الرعاية الصحية الماهرين إلى تفاقم كارثة إنسانية متزايدة. أحد الحالات الرمزية هو حالة الدكتور محمد الموسوي محمد طاهر، الجراح البريطاني-العراقي المتخصص في جراحة الصدمات والمعروف بمساهماته الاستثنائية خلال مهمة…

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More on Medical Apartheid

Deeper Dive:

Deeper Dive articles provide a more broad and historical context to the category: Medical Apartheid, Access to Healthcare.
[BOOKS] on Medical Appartheid
Could you patent the sun? How vaccine patent waivers would save lives
Apartheid logic in global health

Alumni Contributions

Videos

Podcasts

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