Racism, Discrimination and Stereotypes in Medical Practices and Patient Care: The

Women of Color in Peace, Security and Conflict Transformation The Race Across the Pond Initiative: Women of Color in the Healthcare System Series

If we really want equality – and I know our French society is committed to it – we need to ensure equity. If we aim for equity, we need to talk about justice. And if we speak about justice, we need to look at our society honestly and acknowledge how racism and discrimination permeate all spheres of our society, including our healthcare system. It is not a sign of weakness to recognize its weakness; it is a sign of strength and incredible courage!

Public health is a common good. France has one of the most renowned healthcare systems globally, yet there is still a great need for improvement to ensure more equity, diversity, and inclusion. We hope this paper will provide some areas for reflection and concrete action to our policy-makers, political leaders and institutions, in designing more diverse, inclusive, and actively anti-racist healthcare policies.

I want to sincerely thank the fantastic authors and WoC in the Healthcare System Series’ researchers, Sherihane Bensemmane and Yasmine El Addouli, for their time, investment, scientific rigor, and continuous enthusiasm in developing this document. I enjoyed every bit of our exchanges, reflection, and writing process. The health sector is fortunate to count on brilliant women like you.

I also want to thank the amazing RAP Initiative’s teams for their key support and contribution, and particularly Laëtitia K.M. Diatezua, Rita Stephan, and Melina Villeneuve, for serving as editors and helping finalize this document, Sonia Osmani for leading the translation work, and Kynnedi Henry for doing the final formatting.

Finally, I want to thank Undersecretary of State Bonnie Jenkins for being a visionary leader in creating WCAPS and for letting me create and develop this very unique project, the Race Across the Pond Initiative. Thank you for your trust and friendship.

We hope you will enjoy the reading of this first RAP policy paper publication and the future ones to come.

Saara Bouhouche Founder and Chair of the Race Across the Pond Initiative Director of WCAPS France