Structural Violence
Structural violence refers to systematic and normalized social, economic, and political oppression of vulnerable populations. Structural violence includes income inequality, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, sexism, ableism, and other means of social exclusion leading to stress, poverty, trauma, crime, incarceration, lack of access to care, healthy food, and physical activity.
Those in power typically benefit from structural violence. As a rule, they will cling to their power at all costs, including through physical violence to preserve or enact systemic changes that reinforce power divides. We live within systems that are expressly designed to reinforce social disparities.
February 4, 2025
Poem: No home
The sun warms my face I stretch my fingers Watch the sunlight Dance across my skin Warm and inviting In these moments of calm silence I think about who I am Who I was And who I want to be Increasingly so, I think about my privileges My thoughts keep circling…
November 29, 2024
Global Election Results: Rejecting the Unhealthy Status Quo
Around the world, global elections reflect an emerging pattern: people are expressing discontent with a political and economic system that fails to address their most basic needs and well-being. This frustration manifests differently depending on context, whether through voting choices or street protests. At their core, these actions reflect a growing recognition of how governance,…
October 20, 2024
Midwives on the Frontline: The Mental Health Toll in Haiti
Sara Jean is a midwife and mother living in Haiti. On World Mental Health Day, she shared her experience providing care for pregnant people and being pregnant herself amid political instability. In response to a question gauging the impact of the political crisis on her mental health and well-being, Jean reveals: “The ongoing political crisis…
October 17, 2024
Racism in U.S. Hospitals: Black Women Face Unnecessary C-Sections
C-section delivery is the most common surgery in American hospitals, accounting for about 30 percent of births- double the proportion recommended by the World Health Organization. While lifesaving in some cases, unnecessary C-sections increase the risk of complications for mothers and result in higher medical bills. A recent study showed that Black women in the…
July 20, 2024
Olympics 2024: France Takes the Gold in Islamophobia
As the curtains fall on the 2024 Paris Olympics, what should have been a celebration of global athleticism and unity is overshadowed by troubling undercurrents of Islamophobia and racism – major social determinants of health globally. France, the host nation, stands accused of perpetuating Islamophobia in ways that challenge the very spirit of the Games….
July 9, 2024
The Shift Towards Private Education in Rural India
India’s education landscape is witnessing a significant shift, with nearly 50% of students now enrolled in 4.5 lakh privately managed schools, making it the third-largest school system globally. This surge is driven by low- and middle-income families seeking quality alternatives to government schools. The ‘State of the Sector Report on Private Schools’ by the Central…
June 11, 2024
Chiquita guilty of funding terrorists in Colombia
A South Florida jury just found Chiquita Brands liable for killings by right-wing paramilitary death squads that the the company financed in their banana plantations. Chiquita, formerly the United Fruit Company (UFC), has a long history of deadly repression against workers. The New Orleans-based multinational has long monopolized land and markets and controlled governments throughout…
February 10, 2024
More years of schooling improves all-cause mortality globally – Lancet
A systematic review and meta-analysis by the IHME-CHAIN collaborators (Lancet 23 January 2024) demonstrated that increased “years of schooling had a significant and consistent effect on all-cause mortality risk and that the protective effect of education persisted for female and male individuals, across all age groups, and all levels of Socio-demographic Index of the country…
September 20, 2023
Missionaries of Hate: U.S. Christian Right Group Enflames Homophobia in Uganda
Ugandan Dr. Frank Mugisha exposes the U.S. backers of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act. He accuses American “conservative anti-gay activists” of fearmongering in Uganda that has led to its LGBTQ criminalization laws. He outlined how this happening when interviewed on the Rachel Maddow in May, 2023. https://glaad.org/rachel-maddow-traces-anti-lgbtq-legislation-uganda-activists-arizona/ Many people in the Global North were shocked by…
September 15, 2023
Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion nationwide
¡Victoria! Wave High the Green Bandanas! Years of concerted action by reproductive rights activists in Mexico have just gained a huge win. “Today is the day of victory and justice for Mexican women!” declared Mexico’s National Institute for Women. “No woman or pregnant person, nor any health worker, will be able to be punished for…
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