Category: 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.

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

Posted on September 5, 2025September 17, 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,…

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

Structural Violence

Posted on August 28, 2025

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 estimated $1.5 trillion in annual health-related costs worldwide. The crisis is intrinsically linked to the fossil fuel industry, which is pivoting to plastic production as markets for fossil fuels decline….

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

Structural Violence

Posted on August 3, 2025August 3, 2025

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 change far beyond their borders. It’s inspiring to remember how people, geographically distant from South Africa, came together to demand justice and ultimately contributed to dismantling apartheid. This movement reminds…

Interview: DrGH Student Zahra Zeinali on Winning Young Professional Award for Her Work in Gender Equality in Health Policy and Systems

Gender gender video

Posted on February 3, 2025September 30, 2025

Zahra Zeinali, MD, MPH, is a third-year student in the Doctor of Global Health Leadership and Practice (DrGH) program at the University of Washington. In November 2024, she was awarded the Societal Awards Young Professional Award by Health Systems Global and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research for her impact in advancing gender equality in health policy and systems research. In this interview, Zahra discusses with Ana Lucia Castillo, MD, a second-year Master of Public Health student in…

Global Election Results: Rejecting the Unhealthy Status Quo

Structural Violence corporate greed Geopolitical political determinants of health

Posted on November 29, 2024December 27, 2024

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, policies, and the uneven distribution of resources directly impact people’s everyday lives, well-being, and health. In the United States, the 2024 election results illuminate this…

Racism in U.S. Hospitals: Black Women Face Unnecessary C-Sections

Structural Violence Uncategorized

Posted on October 17, 2024October 17, 2024

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 U.S. are significantly more likely to receive unnecessary C-sections compared to white women, driven by financial incentives and biased decision-making. Read the full article here…

Olympics 2024: France Takes the Gold in Islamophobia

Gender Structural Violence #imankhelif #islamophobia #mentalhealth #olympicgold #olympics2024 #sifanhassan globalhealthjustice

Posted on July 20, 2024January 30, 2025

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. One of the most poignant examples of this was the experience of Iman Khelif, an Algerian boxer whose Olympic journey was marred by discriminatory practices….