Children and Racism in Global Health

According to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have the right to the highest attainable standard of health “without discrimination of any kind”. However, not all children are equally protected. Racism is a known risk factor for health in children, ranging from preterm birth and low birthweight, to depression and asthma, and childhood is a vital period that can shape health throughout the life course. When this is combined with other inequalities, poorer experiences and outcomes are exacerbated – for example, minoritized children with a learning disability are likely to die at a younger age. These intersectional inequities are not natural or the result of biology. Rather, racism is undermining children's right to equitable, fair, and good health.

The session will also look at intersections of race, class and gender and role of racism within the wider political economy by looking at different contextual experiences over the last few decades.