Our Work
We work across four distinct but interconnected programme areas:
Peace & Security
We promote disarmament and encourage non-violent responses to conflict.
We work for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and to reduce the power and influence of militarism and military-industrial complex.
Climate & Environment
We work for a healthy planet and climate protection.
We challenge the world’s dependence on fossil fuels, including campaigning for renewable energy.
We promote sustainable patterns of consumption.
Economic Justice
We challenge trade, investment and financial systems that are unjust and harmful.
We promote reform of the institutions of global governance and reallocation of resources towards social justice and sustainable development.
Human
Rights
We promote a vision of human rights medicine.
This includes access to healthcare for all, and respect for the health-related rights of migrants, refugees, prisoners and detainees.
Addressing the biggest threats to global health in ways that are effective, environmentally sustainable and just requires systemic change across a range of policy domains.
This is why Medact deliberately works across four broad programmatic areas on a range of diverse issues. Though we structure projects around these areas, all our work is to some degree cross-cutting.
For example, a social and economic system that operates within the biophysical limits of the planet while simultaneously reducing levels of poverty worldwide requires reforms of the global economic system and strong commitment to the principle of universal human rights. Similarly, if we are to tackle the problem of human rights abuses, we need to actively promote and implement the social and economic building blocks that are known to prevent the use of war and armed violence to resolve conflicts.
We also recognise that broad-based social mobilisation is required to address the core and fundamental blockages to peace, social justice, environmental protection and global health which include: abuses of power, a culture of militarism, racism and bigotry, greed and disregard for nature.
Thus while Medact works on discrete projects in each of the four programme areas, we also exist to provide a home for all health professionals who want to be part of a wider progressive health movement, regardless of whether their work is focused on human rights, climate change, economic justice or peace.