About the Chair

Health inequalities among racialized groups are a widespread concern globally. Major contributors to health disparities between racialized and non-racialized populations include unequal access to social determinants of health, including education, employment, and housing. Structural racism and discrimination also have profound impacts on morbidity and mortality, while law and legal institutions play a significant role in shaping racial identity and access to social goods.

Against this backdrop, the UNESCO Chair on Health, Race and Human Rights at the University of British Columbia advances interdisciplinary research, teaching, policy engagement, and international collaboration at the intersection of health equity, racial justice, and human rights. UNESCO Chairs are globally recognized institutional partnerships established to foster cooperation between universities, policymakers, civil society actors, and international institutions in advancing research and action on priority global issues. As part of this international network, the Chair contributes to scholarship, public engagement, and policy-oriented initiatives that support the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Situated at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, the UNESCO Chair on Health, Race and Human Rights is the only UNESCO Chair in the world dedicated specifically to this strategic priority area, responding to a moment marked by deepening inequalities, rising intolerance, and growing threats to the rights and well-being of racialized and vulnerable communities.