A collaboration with BMJ-MHADRI-IOM
September 2019 saw the launch of the BMJ’s migration health series, developed in collaboration with the Migration Health and Development Research Network (MHADRI) and the United Nations Migration agency. It aims to provide insights and perspectives by migrants and refugee communities, government authorities, researchers, policy makers, practitioners, civil society and industry groups in the issues, challenges and complexities in advancing migration health at national, regional and global levels.
A call for papers!
The best pieces for The BMJ series will be policy and analytical pieces that develop new areas of thinking, challenge existing norms – taking on a major issue and offering new insights with data to support them. Papers that will take stock of the current state of evidence, debates and controversies, underscore advances, highlight critical gaps in evidence generation, and the key interventions needed for knowledge generation for advancing migration health polices and practice.
Papers of up to 1,500 words in length will be considered. BMJ encourages submissions from a diverse range of stakeholders as indicated. Perspectives from Low to Middle-Income Countries, and papers written collaboratively between researchers and policy makers are encouraged. Submissions should follow BMJ style guidelines. The series is calibrated along the axis of three perspectives: from the ‘individual’ migrant, the ‘health system’; and, the ‘political’- navigating policy, politics and diplomacy.
Political dimension: exploring the politics, power and governance around migration and health. Migration discourses continue to be at the forefront of political and social movements, dominating headlines and election campaigns, yet who is driving the migration and health agenda? How is migration health been framed as a public health priority? Where does it sit within health agendas at national, regional and global levels?
Health Systems dimension: Despite the mantra to ‘leaving no one behind on the path to universal health coverage’ non-citizens and migrant groups are often left-behind or left-out of health system plans…rethinking health systems responses, health care financing, health coverage to migration, human mobility and health…
Individual dimension: What are the perspectives and experiences of migrants and refugees in navigating health care? What are underlying discourses of vulnerability and ‘othering’? What is the evidence on health impacts and what are strategies and sustainable solutions being explored?…
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but serves as reflection of the catalytic questions along each axis!
Call for multi-media contributions!
The BMJ series will provide an opportunity for multi-media submissions. Those working in the migration health field with the expertise and experience of the lessons (un)learnt distilled from dedicated practice of providing/enabling health care or conducting research with migrants and refugees can contribute multi-media content for the series. Of course, the lived experiences and stories of migrants and refugees are highly encouraged. The submissions may include for instance photo essays, audio-visual story board narratives, audio recorded commentaries/interviews and visual artwork.
A short analytical piece must accompany all submissions anchored to the 3 themes of the series. It is essential for any submitted work, the person/s who is the subject of the photo, audio or video recording to have provided requisite consent/assent for use and sharing of their images, stories, artwork and audio-video content. The final editorial decision of which multi-media submissions to be posted on the BMJ-series will of course be made by the BMJ through peer-review processors. Members should contact us for pre-submission inquiries.
What would make a good topic for debate in the migration health field?
MHADRI would like to hear from you on ideas for debates on migration health related topics, that may be organised as podcasts in 2020. Please submit your ideas for debate questions and experts you feel that you will like to engage in such debates. Please contact MHADRI for pre-submission inquiries.
