Relocating to another country is a momentous choice. For the women and children of Central America, as with all refugees, this migration is no longer a choice but rather a necessity for survival. Since the late 20th century, turbulent political and socioeconomic conditions in the Northern Triangle- comprising El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala- have led to a rise in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Under a system that subordinates and violates women, many view leaving the region as the sole path to a better life for themselves and their families.
Humanitarian Law Fails Palestine
Throughout the course of human history, war has been ruthless, often senselessly tearing apart families and livelihoods during callous power struggles between two belligerent parties who unnecessarily involve innocent people. It was not until fairly recently in human history that conventions occurred to attempt to make fighting more humane. Due to the lack of consensus on a war crime and the tendency of attacking forces to disregard human life, much less human dignity, the exact definition of a ‘war crime’ and ‘crimes against humanity’ remains elusive. Generally speaking, a war crime is a “serious violation of the laws or customs of war as defined by international customary law and international treaties,” and can apply to civilians and armed soldiers, while crimes against humanity apply to civilians (Penrose, 2022 & “Crimes Against Humanity”, n.d.).
Refugees and the COVID Vaccine
Today, over a year since COVID-19 patient zero turned our global reality upside down, many of us are eagerly squinting to see the light at the end of the metaphorical tunnel. Thanks to the spectacular efforts of scientists around the world, we are in the initial stages of a vaccination program. Finally, it feels like the beginning of the end.
But for many refugee populations, this beacon of hope is little more than a cruel reminder of their status as the world’s have-nots. In perhaps one of the most blatant examples of large-scale disregard for refugee health, Colombia announced that it will not provide vaccines to Venezuelan refugees in the country without formal status. This puts just shy of one million people in a perilous position. Experts agree that this policy is both an ethical and epidemiological disaster. Marianne Menjivar, Colombia director for the International Rescue Committee, summarized the issues well when she explained that “We can’t beat Covid anywhere until we beat it everywhere, among all populations, especially those most vulnerable.” Such a massive community of unvaccinated individuals, especially one that already faces exceptional hardship in maintaining total social distancing and getting access to healthcare and adequate sanitation, can only spell trouble for the greater Colombian population. Leaving refugees out of the vaccination rollout picture is simply not an acceptable option. In fact, some have…
Why Does Voting Matter in Considering Global Health?
As the election date draws nearer, it’s important to understand the full scope of how important your vote is. Not only does it directly affect our country, but it also creates a domino effect on a global scale as well – this being global health. It’s no hidden fact that politics play an essential role in international aid reliefs. Political power has been used since the beginning of global health and has continued its reign over international aid relief efforts since the Lyndon B. Johnson presidency to the Trump administration…