The social inequalities in health These are unfair and avoidable health differences between population groups defined socially, economically, demographically or geographically. These inequalities have an enormous impact on the health of the population and, therefore, must be a priority for public health policies, always moving towards intersectoral policies that promote equity. Today we focus on people, especially women, who are in a highly vulnerable situation, at risk or suffering. situations of discrimination, racismor any other hate crime, or who are in human trafficking situation with fines for sexual or labor exploitation or Migrant women who have suffered gender violence.
ACISJF ON THE ROAD was established in the city of Zaragoza in 1953 as a non-profit association whose objective was to welcome and help young women who moved from the countryside to the city in search of a better life. Its mission is to support women in vulnerable situations through Reception, Training and Employment programs, working on empowerment processes to achieve their full social and labor inclusion, adapting the projects annually to the needs that social reality demands.
To achieve this, the program has a multidisciplinary team made up of social workers, employment counselors and psychologists. Its methodology is based on person-centered care, understanding the person as an active subject in their process. All activities developed within the programs are designed from a gender, intersectional and transcultural perspective.
In addition to the work that has been carried out for more than 70 years of reception, training and employment, this 2024 they have incorporated a new Detection and prevention program, composed of the following projects:
- Rosa Parks Project I:
- Objective: to detect victims or potential victims of racism, xenophobia or any other hate crime or discrimination suffered by the migrant population in our country.
- Target population: migrants from third countries, especially women.
- Activities: guidance and advice for the recovery of violated rights; prevention of crimes of this nature; psychosocial monitoring and support during the recovery process.
- Agnes Igoye Project
- Objective: detection and identification of migrants who have been or are at risk of being subjected to human trafficking with fines for sexual and/or labour exploitation.
- Target population: migrants, especially women and girls.
- Activities: administrative and legal information and advice; psychosocial support; individual follow-up.
- Zhour Project
- Objective: to train professionals on raising awareness of gender-based violence in migrant women and minors, from an intersectional and transcultural perspective.
- Target population: professionals in the educational, psychological and social fields, as well as any other sector that is in contact or will be in contact with migrants.
- Activities: 8-hour online training, during 4 editions per year.
The Two new editions of the Zhour Project courses will be held on the following dates:
1st edition: September 24 and 26 and October 1 and 3, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
2nd edition: October 28 and 30 and November 4 and 6, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
More information and the course program can be found in the following images:
For those professionals who work in the community, health or educational field, this program may be of interest either for the direct referral of people at risk or for training and further investigation into these issues. If you are interested in obtaining more information about any of the programs, you can contact us at:
Finally, we recommend some interesting references to help you gain in-depth knowledge of these highly vulnerable situations and their impact on people’s health:
- Position statement of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology (SEE). Working Group on Social Determinants of Health. Racial discrimination in the national health system, 02/15/2024. Available at: https://seepidemiologia.es/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Posicionamiento.-La-discriminacion-racial-en-el-Sistema-Nacional-de-Salud.pdf
- Devakumar D, Selvarajah S, Abubakar I, Kim SS, McKee M, Sabharwal NS, et al. Racism, xenophobia, discrimination and the determination of health. Lancet. 2022;400:2097–108. Available at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)01972-9/abstract
- Health action against trafficking for sexual exploitation. Annex to the common protocol for health action against gender violence in the national health system (NHS). Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Commission against Gender Violence of the Interterritorial Council of the NHS November 2017: https://www.sanidad.gob.es/organizacion/sns/planCalidadSNS/pdf/equidad/Anexo_TRATA_al_Protocolo_Comun_VG_SNS_27Nov2017_entregado_en_papel_Reunion_ComisionVG_28nov2017.pdf
- Health and treatment of people: https://emm.iom.int/index.php/es/handbooks/salud-y-migracion/salud-y-trata-de-personas
- Understanding and addressing violence against women. Trafficking in persons. Washington, DC: PAHO, 2013. Available at: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/98857/WHO_RHR_12.42_spa.pdf?sequence=1
- A good summary in the press with good references. Racism: a threat to public health, Lucía Foraster Garriga, El País: https://elpais.com/planeta-futuro/2022-12-08/el-racismo-una-amenaza-para-la-salud-publica.html
- Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality. Commission to reduce social inequalities in health in Spain. Moving towards equity. Proposals for policies and interventions to reduce social inequalities in health in Spain. Madrid 2015. Available at https://www.sanidad.gob.es/areas/promocionPrevencion/promoSaludEquidad/equidadYDesigualdad/estrategia/docs/Propuesta_Politicas_Reductor_Desigualdades.pdf
- Infographic on the effects of racism on mental health. New York State. Office of Mental Health. Available at https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/cultural_competence/pdf/mental-health-effects-of-racism-spanish.pdf