Economic Justice & Health group meeting
2023-01-16 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-01-30 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-02-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-02-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-03-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-04-24 19:00 - 20:30 (Europe/London) | Zoom
The Economic Justice & Health group meet regularly to discuss current and future campaigns, plan events, work on strategy and share knowledge. The group is open to all and welcomes new members. Questions? Email our EJ&H campaign lead Jordi.
[Registration has now closed]

Securitisation of Health group meeting
2023-01-17 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-02-09 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-03-14 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
What is the securitisation of health?
A number of policing and counter-extremism measures are embedded by the government into UK health services, which at times requiring health workers to work closely with the police and other security agencies.
These measures risk undermining therapeutic relationships, confidentiality and trust in practitioners – as well as drawing health services and workers into becoming an arm of policing and counter-terror agencies.
Through research and campaigns, Medact aims to shift understandings of ‘security’, from typically “hard” measures (border enforcement, a punitive criminal justice system, counter-terror measures) and advocate for collective and human security, health and wellbeing. Read more about our work on Securitisation.
About the group
The Securitisation of Health group is for health workers interested in working on these issues through campaigning, lobbying and research. New members are welcome! If you have any questions or concerns about attending, please email our Campaign Lead Sarah Lasoye at sarahlasoye@medact.org
[Registration has now closed]

IPPNW European Regional Meeting
2023-01-20 - 2023-01-22 | St. Ansgar-Haus, Schmilinskystr. 78, Hamburg, 20099, Germany
The International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War are a non-partisan global federation of medical organisations dedicated to research, education, and advocacy relevant to the prevention of nuclear war. Medact is the UK’s affiliate to IPPNW.
The next European Regional Meeting is taking place from Friday Jan 20th to Sunday Jan 22nd at St. Ansgar-Haus in Hamburg, Germany. Many sessions will also be held online for remote joiners.
At the event, IPPNW members will exchange ideas on how to prevent a nuclear war in Europe and to advance the nuclear ban in Europe, discuss how we can deal with the situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, and offer workshops on skills sharing on media work, social media and political advocacy with experienced campaigners. At this European regional meeting, there will be also be an election for IPPNW’s European Vice-Presidency again.
Further information and event programme
Download the event programme as a PDF
Register to attend

Nuclear Weapons Group Meeting
2023-01-31 18:00 - 19:30, 2023-02-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
Medact’s Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health.
We will meet to provide an update on our ongoing work, and discuss the current global political landscape as related to nuclear weapons and disarmament. Register below to receive the meeting link.
Questions? Email Sarah Lasoye: sarahlasoye@medact.org
[Registration has now closed]

Medact Groups Check-in
2023-02-07 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom
This is a space for people active in Medact local or issue groups to connect, to share collective learning from our organising—the challenges and successes and how we can support each other moving forward.

We would love one or more people from each group to come if possible, and the group representative doesn’t need to be a coordinator: anyone who is involved is welcome!

As part of the check in, we would love for each group to spend two minutes sharing a few highlights from the last few months, any challenges you’ve had, and any plans you have coming up.

If you have any questions or would like to chat through anything, do get in touch with Ben Eder: beneder@medact.org

[Registration has now closed]

Patients Not Passports New Joiners meeting: February
2023-02-13 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
Want to get involved in the Patients Not Passports campaign?
The best way to get up to speed with the campaign and connected with work going on across the country is to come to our next New Joiners meeting.

In this meeting we’ll explore how NHS charging works and how we can fight back, hear from some of the groups working on the Patients Not Passports campaign, and explore the different ways you can take part. To win, we need everyone working together to oppose NHS charging – you don’t need to work in healthcare to be involved!

If you can’t make the next New Joiners meeting, don’t worry! We can also make time for a quick phone call with you or connect you directly with your local group – get in touch by emailing jamesskinner@medact.org.

[Registration has now closed]

Securitisation of Health: New Joiners meeting
2023-02-28 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom
About the group
This group is for people in the health community who are interested in working on campaigning, lobbying and research related to the securitisation of health. If you have any questions or concerns about attending a meeting, please email our Campaign Lead Sarah Lasoye at sarahlasoye@medact.org
What is the securitisation of health?
A number of policing and counter-extremism measures are embedded by the government into UK health services, which at times requiring health workers to work closely with the police and other security agencies. These measures risk undermining therapeutic relationships, confidentiality and trust in practitioners – as well as drawing health services and workers into becoming an arm of policing and counter-terror agencies.
Through research and campaigns, Medact aims to shift understandings of ‘security’, from typically “hard” measures (border enforcement, a punitive criminal justice system, counter-terror measures) and advocate for collective and human security, health and wellbeing. Read more about our work on Securitisation.
[Registration has now closed]

Nuclear Weapons Group meeting
2023-03-06 18:00 - 19:30
Medact’s Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health.

We will meet to provide an update on our ongoing work, and discuss the current global political landscape as related to nuclear weapons and disarmament. Register below to receive the meeting link.

If you want to attend or have any questions, please email Sarah at sarahlasoye@medact.org

Nuclear Weapons Group meeting
2023-03-13 06:00 - 19:30

Criminalising Distress literature review team meeting
2023-03-13 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-04-03 19:00 - 20:30
The Literature Review team meet as part of the Medact Research Network’s current project ‘Criminalising Distress’.

The 18-month project explores the evolution and impacts of, accountability for, and alternatives to Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM), a model of mental health care involving police officers into non-emergency therapeutic interventions.

For more information about the project email Research and Policy Manager Hil Aked at hilaked@medact.org

Criminalising Distress interview team meeting
2023-03-20 19:00 - 20:30
The interview team meet as part of the Medact Research Network’s current project ‘Criminalising Distress’.

The 18-month project explores the evolution and impacts of, accountability for, and alternatives to Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM), a model of mental health care involving police officers into non-emergency therapeutic interventions.

For more information about the project email Research and Policy Manager Hil Aked at hilaked@medact.org

Criminalising Distress FOI team meeting
2023-03-27 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-04-17 19:00 - 20:30, 2023-05-08 19:00 - 20:30
The FOI (“freedom of information”) team meet as part of the Medact Research Network’s current project ‘Criminalising Distress’.

The 18-month project explores the evolution and impacts of, accountability for, and alternatives to Serenity Integrated Mentoring (SIM), a model of mental health care involving police officers into non-emergency therapeutic interventions.

For more information about the project email Research and Policy Manager Hil Aked at hilaked@medact.org

Nuclear Weapons Group meeting
2023-04-04 18:00 - 19:30
Medact’s Nuclear Weapons Group represents the longest standing aspect of Medact’s work to address war, armed violence and conflict as global threats to health. We meet to provide updates on our ongoing work, plan future efforts and discuss the current global political landscape as related to nuclear weapons and disarmament.

If you have any questions about the group’s work or about attending, please email Reem at reemabuhayyeh@medact.org

[Registration has now closed]

Patients Not Passports New Joiners meeting: April
2023-04-18 19:00 - 20:30

People's health Tribunal | Tribunal de la Santé des Peuples | Tribunal de Salud de los Pueblos | المحكمة الشعبيّة للصحّة
2023-05-13 00:00 - 2023-05-20 23:59
Following COP 27, in May 2023, join us for a People’s Health Tribunal. The Tribunal will hold space to listen, in six languages, to key struggles against extractive industries from across the African continent and Diaspora communities, holding fossil fuel giants Shell and Total to account. We will share stories of resistance against extractivist and colonial violence and its health impacts as well as visions of justice denied by international judicial systems. The Tribunal will be spread over two sessions on May 13th and May 20th.

We will be sharing more details soon. In the meantime, sign up below to keep up to date!

Après la COP 27, en mai 2023, rejoignez-nous pour un Tribunal de la santé des peuples. Le Tribunal sera un espace pour écouter, en six langues, les principales luttes contre les industries extractives à travers le continent africain et les communautés de la diaspora, exigeant des comptes aux géants des combustibles fossiles Shell et Total. Nous partagerons des histoires de résistance contre la violence extractiviste et coloniale et ses impacts sur la santé, ainsi que des visions de la justice refusée par les systèmes judiciaires internationaux. Le Tribunal sera réparti sur deux sessions, les 13 et 20 mai.

Nous vous donnerons plus de détails en 2023. En attendant, inscrivez-vous ci-dessous pour être tenu au courant!

Después de la COP 27, en mayo de 2023, únete a nosotros para un Tribunal de Salud de los Pueblos. El Tribunal será un espacio para escuchar, en seis idiomas, las principales luchas contra las industrias extractivas de todo el continente africano y de las comunidades de la diáspora, exigiendo responsabilidad a los gigantes de los combustibles fósiles Shell y Total. Compartiremos historias de resistencia contra la violencia extractivista y colonial y sus impactos sobre la salud, así como visiones de la justicia negada por los sistemas judiciales internacionales. El Tribunal se desarrollará en dos sesiones, los días 13 y 20 de mayo.

Compartiremos más detalles en 2023. Mientras tanto, ¡inscríbete abajo para mantenerte al día!

[Registration has now closed]

Neoliberalism, Security and the Politics of Mental Health
2023-05-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Medact Office, The Brick Yard, 28 Charles Square, London, N1 6HT, United Kingdom
The fields of mental health hold the potential to depoliticise experiences that are deeply connected to our social, political and economic environments. By focusing on individual conditions, we risk disregarding those root causes, such as poverty, racism and oppression.

Mental health disciplines are not apolitical fields, and may fail to interrogate the boundaries and limitations of medicine, psychiatry and psychology. Spaces that should centre care and patient autonomy can double as places of producing “loyal, low-risk and productive citizens” (The Muslim, State and Mind). This depoliticisation of mental health disciplines is particularly relevant for racialised minorities, like Muslims.

We’re excited to host a panel discussion with clinical psychologist, academic and author Tarek Younis (The Muslim, State and Mind: Psychology in Times of Islamophobia, 2022), Securitisation of Health group member and trainee psychiatrist Mashal Iftikhar, and Medact’s Research Manager Hil Aked whose current project Criminalising Distress explores the harmful impact of policing in mental health care.

Using case studies and experiences, our panel will explore the alleged “apolitical” position of psychiatry and psychology; how psychological theories and practices can work to serve State interests and perpetuate racism and inequality; how austerity and the political economy can cause and exacerbate a population’s poor mental health; and whether the solutions to our mental health crisis can even be found in mental health spaces. They will touch on the increasing securitisation of supposed spaces of care, and the harmful impacts to public health of pressure on providers to report and surveille their patients.

We hope to create a space of collective exploration and expansion of our understanding of individualised “mental illness” and treatments and cures beyond the boundaries of clinical pathology. We would encourage anyone interested in the research, policy or practice of mental health, the securitisation of health, as well as anyone with lived experience of mental illness to attend. Following the panel discussion there will be time for audience questions.

We’re at capacity for in-person attendance.

For those who have been confirmed as attending in-person, the venue has been changed to the Human Rights Action Centre, 25 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EA (map) just 5 minutes from Medact.

[Registration has now closed]

Pegasus Institute’s Summer Institute in Peace, Health and Sustainability
2023-05-23 00:00 - 2023-06-09 23:59
We’re sharing information about this summer’s upcoming Institute in Peace, Health and Sustainability run by McGill University and the Pegasus Institute. The Summer Institute offers courses for students interested in how migration, conflict, and the environment shape human health.

Courses will explore connections between larger events of the world and the health of populations and individuals. The new course “Introduction to Migration and Health” will be offered in Spanish and English and the course “Environment and Global Health” returns this year with a French language option.

Participants are encouraged to take as many courses, across Institutes, as fits in their schedule. A certificate of participation will be issued for each course.

Explore their FAQ document or contact them. There is also Information on pricing, scholarships and registration.

Medact Research Network Quarterly Meeting
2023-05-30 19:00 - 20:30 | Zoom
The Medact Rights Research Network Quarterly is an online space for us to come together, share our work, discuss new projects, or delve into deep discussion about research that has caught your interest.

We’ll be welcoming two guest speakers from US-based health justice body Human Impact Partners (HIP), Elana Muldavin and Christine Mitchell who will be in conversation with our Economic Justice & Health campaigner Jordi.

They’ll be speaking about HIP’s new Research Code of Ethics, which has been designed with guidance from community organisers in order to foster research that’s accountable, responsible, equitable, and just to the communities it seeks to serve. Join us to talk about how Medact can do the same.

Christine Mitchell is a research project director with the Health Instead of Punishment program at Human Impact Partners, a national public health nonprofit based in Oakland, CA. She is an organizer with the Boston-based DeeperThanWater Coalition and a co-author of the American Public Health Association policy statements on law enforcement violence and carceral systems. She has a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Doctor of Science in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Elana Muldavin is a senior research associate at Human Impact Partners, where her work focuses on advancing economic security through collaborative, community-centered research. She believes that policy advocacy, community organizing, and participatory research are powerful tools in service of health and racial equity. Elana holds a Master of Public Health from University of California, Berkeley and an undergraduate degree in sociology from Occidental College.

Questions? Get in touch with our Research & Policy Manager, Hil Aked

[Registration has now closed]

Medact Groups Check-in
2023-05-31 18:30 - 20:00 | Zoom
This is a space for people active in Medact local or issue groups to connect, to share collective learning from our organising—the challenges and successes and how we can support each other moving forward.

Ideally one or more people from each group can come along and represent their group, and the group representative(s) don’t need to be a coordinator: anyone who is involved is welcome!

As part of the check in, we would love for each group to spend two minutes sharing a few highlights from the last few months, any challenges you’ve had, and any plans you have coming up.

If you have any questions or would like to chat through anything, do get in touch with Ben Eder: beneder@medact.org

[Registration has now closed]
