A call for courage: declaration on human rights and health
A statement of solidarity with civilians of Palestine and Israel and with all those affected by war, armed conflict, forced displacement, occupation, and violence globally.
Drafting team: Wael Al-Delaimy, Katy Bell, Abbey Diaz, Kathryn Gwiazdon, Jennifer Payne, Robin Taylor Wilson
Coordinating authors: Kathryn Gwiazdon
Adopted (19 March 2024)
The International Network for Epidemiology in Policy (INEP) is an international organization that promotes the use of epidemiology to develop evidence-based policies to improve equity, health, and well-being for the global population. In public health, we are focused on the well-being of human lives locally and globally, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, faith, or political affiliation, all of which are being seriously impacted by the current conflict in the Middle East. As the leadership of a consortium of 24 epidemiological societies across the globe, we are deeply concerned about the well-being of all those impacted, especially the innocent lives needlessly lost on both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
With this Declaration, and due to the imposed violence upon civilians by state and non-state actors, INEP joins other health organizations in condemning the terror attacks and taking of hostages by Hamas on 7th 20 October 21 2023; condemning the subsequent prolonged widespread, disproportionate, and indiscriminate attacks in 22 Gaza and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories; and condemning the blockade of humanitarian aid, food, 23 water, energy, internet, and movement by any entity. We also note that physical, mental, and emotional health 24 harms in war and armed conflict are not limited to civilians, and so raise our concern for all affected.
In 2022, INEP adopted the “INEP Declaration on human rights and health in war, armed conflict, forced 27 displacement, occupation, and violence: statement of solidarity with the peoples of Ukraine and around the 28 globe,” noting the “concern that similar suffering is happening and has been happening in other countries, 29 with less adamant, or even absent, the condemnation or compassion now expressed with the current 30 Ukrainian conflict.” We are concerned that this difference in concern is happening again, and so we feel that 31 it is even more-so our responsibility to continue to stand in solidarity with victims of war, armed conflict, forced 32 displacement, occupation, and violence – wherever they are located and whomever the aggressor may be.
INEP stands for global justice, equity, ethics, transparency, and most importantly, the interest of health 35 everywhere, over and above any other interest. INEP leadership therefore extends our support to all those 36 suffering worldwide from imposed violence, including our fellow epidemiologists and other health scientists, 37 noting that the censorship, erasure, manipulation, and disruption of their voice or work adds to the negative 38 health impact of terrorism, military aggression, and violence.
Terror, occupation, and war is at the heart of this crisis, and we understand that this is only the most recent stage of terrorism, military aggression, and harm between Israel and Palestine, marked by both acute and long-term violence. Therefore, our focus as an epidemiological organization, rooted in equity, is on the public health harms to civilians and the responsibility of states and international law to limit those harms. This declaration is rooted in calls to protect populations against the harms of war and occupation, and through peaceful solutions.
Please go to the above link for the full declaration.
MEMBER ENDORSEMENT:
American College of Epidemiology (ACE)
Australasian Epidemiological Association (AEA)