Youth Health Policy Lab

Do you want to respond to and design policy structures for public health advocacy for BIPOC women, non-binary, and gender diverse persons?

About this event

Do you want to respond to and design policy structures for public health advocacy for BIPOC women, non-binary, and gender diverse persons?

As Youth Policy Advocates from the Ontario Council for International Cooperation’s (OCIC) Youth Policy Maker’s Hub (YPH), we are working to create a space in which youth can address Canadian acute healthcare and public health challenges faced by BIPOC women, non-binary and gender diverse individuals. Our focus is on challenges arising from or exacerbated by COVID-19.

To tackle pressing issues, we will be hosting a Policy Lab for youth (18 – 35 years) to gather young and diverse thinkers who can enrich mainstream policy discussions with innovative ideas and a key youth perspective. This Policy Lab has been designed for active participation and discussion on four focal areas which includes: (1) rise in mental health issues; (2) racism in healthcare and healthcare delivery; (3) technology and disaggregated data in healthcare; and (4) sexual health and reproductive justice.

Event Agenda:

  • A panel discussion featuring key thinkers and experts working within the healthcare field and actively advocating for or thinking about the intersection of BIPOC women and health.
  • A debrief session to digest information and prepare for the lab.
  • Breakout, facilitated sessions to explore one of the four topics and inform policy.
  • Health moves beyond the healthcare sector and is influenced by where we live, who we are, and how we navigate the world. This is why your voice is needed to help us identify the complex landscape for women’s health in Canada and appropriately reflect it in policy design.

Areas of Focus

  • Rise in mental health issues: The topic explores the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on the mental health of BIPOC women, non-binary individuals and gender diverse individuals. It unpacks the underlying, systemic factors (e.g. racism, fragmented systems, etc.) and triggers (e.g. increased burnout, rise in gender-based violence, etc.) that have contributed to this phenomenon.
  • Racism in healthcare and healthcare delivery: The topic explores experiences of BIPOC women, non-binary individuals and gender diverse individuals when navigating and accessing healthcare services. It unpacks the underlying, systemic factors (e.g. racism, etc.) and gaps in the system (e.g. lack of culturally competent care, etc.) that have contributed to this phenomenon during COVID-19.
  • Technology and disaggregated data in public health and healthcare: The topic explores the role technology and data are playing in the healthcare experience of BIPOC women, non-binary individuals and gender diverse individuals. It unpacks the impact of these two tools on this population, during COVID-19, by dissecting design, mobilization and implementation.
  • Sexual health and reproductive justice: The topic explores sexual health and reproductive justice issues for BIPOC women, non-binary individuals and gender diverse individuals. It unpacks the underlying, systemic factors (e.g. racism, sexism, etc.) and the experience of coloured bodies to better understand and uncover differential experiences of this population.

Join us to learn more and take part in this youth-led initaitive!

About the Youth Policy-Makers Hub

The Youth Policy-Makers Hub (YPH) is a signature initiative of OCIC’s Community Engagement and Learning programs. The YPH is an multi-generational initiative that will engage diverse youth from across Ontario in international cooperation policy processes in support of Gender Equality, Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) action areas, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Global problems like gender inequality and climate change affect people of all ages everywhere. These complex problems require holistic inter-generational approaches, diverse mindsets, multi-disciplinary methods and multi-sectoral dialogue. OCIC recognizes the wealth of knowledge, experience and leadership that youth leaders bring to the international cooperation sector in Ontario and beyond. We want to help enable the active participation of youth at local, national and international policy-making tables to inform decisions that concern their lives, future and the planet.

Date

May 22 2021
Expired!

Time

2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Category

Organizer

Ontario Council for International Cooperation
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