Waking up to the planetary health emergency webinar series - Webinar 3

Human migration: Facing coronavirus in a refugee camp. The impact of COVID-19 on Palestinian refugees’ wellbeing

Cevdet Acu, Researcher and PhD candidate, University of Exeter Business School

Cevdet Acu is a PhD candidate in Economics at University of Exeter. He is interested in refugee economies, immigrant workers, and economic development. His focus is on the macroeconomic influence of displaced people on receiving countries. His research is concerned with the question of how Syrian refugees impact the labour market in host countries, particularly in Jordan and Lebanon.

This presentation will address the challenges faced by Palestinian refugees during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It is based on recent fieldwork in Jordan (for example, see “Stay at Home?” How Syrian Refugees Face a Crisis of Shelter in Jordan, published online 25/07/2020).  The extent to which the welfare of refugees has been affected by COVID-19 will be discussed, along with the main obstacles displaced people have experienced during a COVID-19 public health crisis (see 'Invisible people': the working and living conditions of undocumented immigrants in Jordan during the COVID-19 crisis, published online 25/05/2020).  I will focus on Palestinian refugees who live in Jerash refugee camp, one of the poorest camps in Jordan.

Hot air and cold feet: Is campaigning good for health?

Dr Ben Eder, Medact Climate and Health Campaigner and Rob Abrams, Medact Climate and Health Organiser

Medact

Medact is a UK Registered Charity whose mission is to support health professionals from all disciplines to work together towards a world in which everyone can truly achieve and exercise their human right to health. Medact do this through research and evidence-based campaigning for solutions to the social, political and economic conditions which damage health, deepen health inequalities and threaten peace and security.

Dr Ben Eder, Medact Climate and Health Campaigner

Ben is a doctor and campaigner, with a background in the Health Justice movement. Ben has completed his foundation training as a junior doctor in the NHS, completing his medical training at the University of Bristol, intercalating in Global Health. Ben was previously the National Director of Students for Global Health, is a coordinating member of the People’s Health Movement UK and a Medact Member. Alongside working at Medact, Ben is currently undertaking a masters in Power, Participation & Social Change at The Institute of Development Studies. Ben joins the team as the Climate & Health Campaigner, working closely with Rob Abrams on work on Fossil Fuel Divestment, Health for a Green New Deal and building towards COP26.

Rob Abrams, Medact Climate and Health Organiser

Rob is an Medact organiser with a background in the UK’s climate movement. Having been involved in networks such as People & Planet and Climate Camp, he has experience campaigning around a number of areas related to climate justice including but not limited to divestment, ending fossil fuel sponsorship of the arts and opposing major extractive projects. As well as organising, he studied Transitional Justice and Social Policy at university, building an interest in systemic approaches to climate action. Rob joined Medact as a Climate & Health Organiser, supporting members and partners to organise the health voice on climate issues.

Medact Climate & Health Issue Group

You can sign up to be part of the Medact Climate & Health Issue Group here.

Riptide volume 13: Climate Matters

Climate Matters is the Riptide Journal’s thirteenth volume and was produced and published to coincide with the launch of the ‘Waking up to the planetary health emergency’ 2020 webinar series. A burning issue of our time – the climate crisis – is the central theme of this collection of short stories, poetry, images and science writing. Many of the contributors ponder the links between our relentless drive to consume, our disrespect for the natural world and its disastrous effect on the climate and the survival of humanity. In a range of ways they question the role that capitalism plays and the need for a redefinition of what constitutes a good life. COVID-19’s appearance during the selection process means the pandemic and issues of health – both individual and planetary – play their part in the whole.

Download a pdf copy of this publication here.

Gauging the Distance by Kim Squirrell

A recording of Kim Squirrell's poem Gauging the Distance, with paintings by Ella Squirrell, published in the Climate Matters Anthology, 2020, in collaboration with Riptide Journal is available online. 

Recording

A recording of this session can be found on the GSI YouTube Channel.