Women of Color in Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation The Race Across the Pond Initiative: Women of Color in the Healthcare System Series
EDITO Dear Colleagues, It is with great honor that I introduce the first policy paper of the WCAPS Race Across the Pond Initiative (RAP Initiative): Systemic Racism and Intersectional Discrimination in France’s Healthcare System. This first policy paper launches the RAP Initiative’s policy papers series Institutional Racism and Discrimination in Healthcare Systems Globally, which will continue to be published over the coming months. The series explores how racism and discrimination affect communities of color’s health, security, and quality of life across the world, particularly for women and girls, and what we can do to ensure more equality, equity, and justice for all. Racism, discrimination, and biases are spread out in our society. They are deeply embedded in our history, our structures, our way of thinking and our social interactions, at all societal levels. And, as such, they manifest in each and every sphere of our society. It takes courage, time, and dedication to deconstruct and unlearn toxic practices and behavioral mechanisms that we have been internalizing throughout our lives, oftentimes since early childhood. Because racism is not natural and race is a social construct, undertaking this deconstruction is an absolute priority. Individually and collectively. It is our responsibility. Racism is not an opinion. It is a crime. Our society, our government, and our institutions have the responsibility to work their hardest to address it. I repeat. Racism is not an opinion. It is a crime! Yet, for Black and Brown people, it is a reality that permeates all aspects of their daily life and directly threatens their own lives and security. Women and girls of color are particularly affected, as they hold the double burden of discrimination due to their gender and their race. They are potentially holding additional burdens due to their socioeconomic situation, religion, age, sexual orientation, disability, and/or other factors of discrimination. When talking about gender inequality in France (and many other countries), we often refuse to recognize the intersectionality of discrimination women of color face. By refusing to recognize the complexity and effects of the intersectional discrimination they face, we actively contribute to maintain and foster their invisibilisation and the discrimination against them.
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