PART III - Anti-Racism and Intersectionality Approach: A Series of Recommendations for Increased Equity and Inclusiveness in the French Healthcare System

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

PART III - ANTI-RACISM AND INTERSECTIONALITY APPROACH: A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INCREASED EQUITY AND INCLUSIVENESS IN THE FRENCH HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

Authors: Saara Bouhouche*, Yasmine El Addouli, Sherihane Bensemmane

The fight against racism and discrimination undergone by racialized and minority groups in health is a long struggle that requires a strong commitment and investment from the State and all its institutions. Responding to racist and discriminatory practices, such as the use of the Mediterranean Syndrome, requires multiple and complementary strategies.

We call for conducting a national scale study on institutional racism and intersectional discriminations in the health care system to: ● measure the extent of the phenomenon in France and in its overseas territories, ● alert government authorities and public opinion, ● usher the development of adequate public policies based on reliable and measured data.

At the same time, we recommend a set of actions to structurally reduce, or even eliminate, both the causes and the effects of racism and discrimination:

1. Invest and strengthen the health and social institutions' human, financial and material resources. 2. Simplify the administrative health and social processes and the procedures for obtaining the health care coverage provided by the State. 3. Create a system of language interpretation systematically available during medical consultations upon request of the patients or health professionals. 4. Create and integrate mandatory modules in health care curricula on the deconstruction of racial and gender stereotypes of patient care, intercultural skills, and social determinants of health. 5. Develop and execute awareness and accountability campaigns for health care practitioners on racist and discriminatory practices, including those linked to the use of the Mediterranean Syndrome. 6. Strengthen law enforcement on discriminatory practices and legally condemn practices linked to the use of the Mediterranean syndrome. 7. Establish a hierarchical structure of moral accountability and legal responsibility on racism and discrimination within public and private health facilities, including

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

hospitals and clinics. Raise public awareness and provide information to patients. 8. Design tools and indicators for monitoring and evaluating progress in increasing healthcare access and quality for RMGs in France. 9. Create an independent platform to control and fight against racism and discriminatory practices in the health care sector to map out discrimination cases at the national level, handle and investigate complaints of racism and discrimination, and publish regular reports on the state of health inequalities in France. 10.Develop and implement public policies to ensure active diversification and inclusion of RMGs in strategic and decision-making bodies of the Health and Social Administration. 11.Develop and implement public policies to facilitate and actively support (eg. logistically, financially, administratively...) the access to and pursuit of advanced medical studies and professional training for RMGs, especially women, AND facilitate their access to professional opportunities (eg. mentoring programs, leadership training, and networking opportunities...) 12.Improve and adjust the distribution of health care professionals and centers across the country, according to the territorial needs and specificities.