We are looking forward to the 44th Annual Minority Health Conference!
MHC Theme Announcement:
Practicing Health as a Human Right: Policy, Ethics, and the Law is the theme for the
2023 Minority Health Conference.
The World Health Organization declared “The enjoyment of the highest attainable
standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without
distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.” The past year
has revealed how global and domestic political, legal, economic, and health systems are
failing to support the highest attainable health.
Practicing Health as a Human Right recognizes that human rights provide a framework
upon which we can ensure that equity and justice are routinely protected and upheld in
the law. Practicing Health as a Human Right acknowledges that the public health
problems of today are often structural, stemming from racism and other discriminatory
practices and policies that have been codified into law, and therefore require legal and
policy solutions. If public health practitioners, policymakers, and healthcare providers
utilize human rights principles in the execution of their work, we stand a better chance of
improving health outcomes and quality of life for all people.
This year’s conference seeks to examine the factors that have created and impacted
health inequities across gender, race, economic status, and other social determinants of
health. The goal of the conference is to conceptualize a human rights framework as a
tool to center our public health discussions around policy, ethics, and the law. We hope
that the theme, Practicing Health as a Human Right, will connect us around shared
values of equity and justice that can enable us to build a stronger future for all.
Topics potentially discussed include:
● The impact of the Dobbs decision on women, girls, and birthing people
● Protecting vulnerable populations in a war zone
● Equity around vaccines in the Global South
● Downstream risks to incarcerated populations
This list is by no means exhaustive, but serves as useful examples of the ever-present
conflict facing all people to achieving the highest attainable standard of physical and
mental health.
Keynote Speakers will be announced soon!
We are seeking engaging, dynamic presenters who actively embody this year’s conference theme, Practicing Health as a Human Right. We encourage individuals and/or groups from academic and/or community-focused backgrounds to share information and experiences in the format of a presentation, panel conversation, interactive workshop, artistic expression, or any other creative format of their choosing. This year’s conference seeks to examine the factors that have created and impacted health inequities across gender, race, economic status, and other social determinants of health. The goal of the conference is to conceptualize a human rights framework as a tool to center our public health discussions around policy, ethics, and the law. We hope that the theme, Practicing Health as a Human Right, will connect us around shared values of equity and justice that can enable us to build a stronger future for all.
We are looking for poster presenters who center the experiences of people of color and intersecting marginalized identities to demonstrate a clear commitment to equity, advocacy, and community engagement. Proposals to share research, practice, programs, processes, and stories are encouraged. Submissions are welcome from researchers, practitioners, community members, community organizations, and students from a variety of fields (including behavioral science, basic and clinical sciences, public health, biostatistics, policy/government, social work, history, journalism, and others).
Call for Abstracts Information
Scholarships
This year, the Minority Health Conference will provide 20 scholarships to cover the full in-person registration cost for students who attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) in North Carolina. Note that this scholarship does not cover lodging or transportation.
Please fill out this form to apply. The application will close at 11:59pm on Sunday, December 11th, 2022. Applicants will be notified via email.
We hope these scholarships will help students of color enter the field of public health and lead the conversation on health equity. In future years, we hope to deepen our partnerships with HBCUs and MSIs in NC and offer more scholarships.
About the Minority Health Conference
The Minority Health Conference is the largest and longest-running student-led health conference in the country. The conference aims to raise awareness around health disparities and mobilize students, academics, and community members to take action for change. Started in 1977 by the Minority Student Caucus, the conference is nationally recognized and respected, attracting more than 500 attendees each year and hundreds more who view it via webcast.
Organized by the UNC Minority Student Caucus at the Gillings School of Global Public Health.