The Right to Health under Occupation, Colonialism, Wars and Conflicts: Towards a Common Front of Social Movements across the Global South

This workshop is based on the principle that the right to health is a fundamental and inalienable human right. Yet, this right is increasingly undermined in contexts of occupation, colonialism, wars, and armed conflicts affecting many countries across the Global South. Palestine represents one of the clearest examples of the systematic targeting of healthcare systems through the destruction of hospitals and medical facilities, attacks on healthcare workers, restrictions on access to medical care, and siege policies that constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. At the same time, similar challenges are experienced across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where armed conflicts, colonial legacies, structural inequalities, privatization and austerity policies, as well as climate and humanitarian crises, continue to weaken public health systems and limit equitable access to healthcare. The workshop will bring together social movements, trade unions, health professionals, and civil society organizations to exchange experiences, identify common challenges, and strengthen solidarity across the Global South. It aims to build shared strategies for defending the right to health as a cornerstone of social justice, human dignity, self-determination, and lasting peace.