Global Health, Diplomacy & National Security Conference: Migration and Public Health

Global Health, Diplomacy and National Security Conference Migration and Public Health Globally, we are in the midst of the highest levels of human displacement on record. According to WHO [1], ‘there are an estimated 1 billion migrants in the world today of whom 258 million are international migrants and 763 million internal migrants – one in seven of the world’s population. According to the UNHCR [2] ‘an unprecedented 65.6 million people around the world have been forced from home. Among them are nearly 22.5 million refugees, over half of whom are under the age of 18 … nearly 20 people are forcibly displaced every minute as a result of conflict or persecution’. The public health implications of migration regionally and globally are significant. The WHO Constitution of 1948 establishes the right of everyone to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. Similarly, international human rights standards and conventions exist to protect the protect the rights of migrants and refugees, including their right to health. The focus of this year’s conference is on Migration and Public Health. Understanding the drivers shaping migration and contributing to regional humanitarian and public health crisis are key to designing strategies that support global health and national security.   The conference tracks within the Migration and Public Health theme include: Conflict and Migration Climate Change and Migration Religion and Migration Politics of Migration Migration related disease prevention and Public Health risks Social Vulnerability of Migrants and Refugees   [1] https://www.who.int/migrants/en/ [2] https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/figures-at-a-glance.html The symposium is being presented in collaboration with the following University of South Florida organizations: Center for Strategic & Diplomatic Studies, USF Health, College of Public Health, College of Arts and Sciences Agenda Featured speakers: Abinash Achrekar MD, MPH, Deputy Secretaty, New Mexico Department of Health Special thanks to our sponsors: TBD