Summary:
- Background: Intersectional IFMSA – Call for SWG Members
- Information summary:
- Intersectional IFMSA
- The SWG and How to Apply
- What recipients need to do:
- Deadline: 1 April 2020, 23:59 GMT.
Dear IFMSAians,
IFMSA is a platform that brings students from all over the world together to discuss global health issues through our various programs and opportunities! These aim to develop culturally sensitive students, influencing the transnational inequities that shape the health of our planet.
More than 15,000 of medical students annually go for Exchanges through IFMSA. This in addition to GAs, RMs, SRTs and other events bringing participants from different countries together happening all year long. As the experience of SCORP Camp 2018 showed us, it is sad to admit that sometimes the human rights and safety of our members are exposed to threatening situations! Such situations occur even if they are surrounded by other IFMSA members and coordinators, and might go unnoticed/unreported, thus adding to the depth of the problem.
No one is immune from societal inequities and power structures, and so not our organizations. As IFMSA and SCORP it is our responsibility to promote and respect human rights, not only externally, but also internally; in the way we function and by protecting the rights of our members. IFMSA cannot effectively strive to make the world a better place while perpetuating an organisational environment deeply marked by different, explicit or implicit, forms of intolerance, inequities and power abuse!
Through the Intersectional IFMSA initiative, we aim to address this serious issue we may have within our Federation. Because it should never be assumed that these types of incidents are single and isolated events, on the contrary, just like how it happens outside of our Federation, they usually occur as a part of a bigger problem which means the potential for them to happen in different ways is still there. Therefore, it is crucial that the extent of the issue is understood, and reflected upon with subsequent measures taken to ensure the prevention of such incidents, the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as the promotion of safe spaces in our Federation. You can read more about the Intersectional IFMSA initiative [here].
The SWG and How to Apply:
The SWG aims to identify the scale of the problem we have within IFMSA, on local, national and international levels by documenting and reporting the experiences of our members; assessing our current behaviours/trends; evaluating the impact of our current measures; developing and implementing concrete actions to improve our measures and capacitate our members. Check the Small Working Group proposal for more details [here].
To apply to be part of the Small Working Group, all you need to do is to fill in [this form] before the 1st of April, 23:59 GMT.
Taking part in IFMSA meetings and activities should be a meaningful and safe experience, and it is our duty to fulfil this obligation as dedicated members of this Federation! Should there be any questions or inquiries, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through scorpd@ifmsa.org.
For the love of the Globe and the Asclepius … For the love of IFMSA!
Warmest Regards,
Mahmood Al-Hamody
Director on Human Rights and Peace 2019/2020
