Diversity, Equity, and Justice in Global Surgery

By Rabbey Raza, DEJ Lead

What is Diversity, Equity, and Justice?

Recent years have seen increased attention to efforts for addressing underrepresentation in medicine and surgery, lack of diversity among healthcare professionals, and health disparities within different populations. One such approach is the development of committees and task forces focused on Diversity, Equity, and Justice (DEJ).

Diversity refers to the representation of individuals from diverse and varied backgrounds and identities. These may include but are not limited to, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, geographic location etc. The main goal is to ensure that the global surgical workforce represents the diversity of the population it is currently serving. Having a diverse workforce also allows for cultural competency and improved patient care.

Equity reflects that all individuals have access to surgical care and resources, irrespective of their backgrounds. Equity efforts involve reducing barriers to surgical services, advocating for improved healthcare infrastructure in underserved areas, and promoting fair distribution of surgical resources.

Justice in the DEJ context pertains to addressing systemic injustices and advocating for policies and strategies that uphold social justice principles. This involves challenging inequitable power dynamics and advocating for the rights of underrepresented populations. It also promotes ethical and sustainable practices in surgery. Gender-based violence, discrimination, and exploitation within surgical settings can all be discussed under the justice portion of DEJ.

Why does DEJ matter?

DEJ is essential for fostering inclusive, equitable, and just environments where all individuals can thrive irrespective of their background or circumstances.

Equal opportunities

DEJ promotes fairness amongst all individuals and advocates acknowledging, recognizing, and celebrating individual backgrounds, cultures, races, genders, ethnicities etc. It strives to mitigate barriers experienced as a result of these diverse identities. It promotes the fact that everyone should have an equal chance to succeed and thrive.

Confronting structural inequities

DEJ aims to first identify the structural inequalities and discriminatory policies and then proceed to dismantle them at their roots. It does so by actively challenging biases, emphasising mutual respect and dignity, and making the voices of underrepresented minorities head on national and International platforms. By identifying inequalities that are deeply entrenched within systems and then challenging them, DEJ fosters equal opportunities for conventionally underrepresented groups. It also ensures that they are treated fairly to foster a more inclusive and just society for all, creating a safe space in an organisation for the discussion of any issues that may arise.

Inclusivity and Representation

DEJ ensures that diverse voices, from diverse groups of people are prioritised when it comes to leadership and decision-making processes. These different viewpoints can not only foster creativity and motivate innovation but also contribute to more practical, relevant solutions. Valuing a diverse group of people in decision-making processes also helps create a more just society, and encourages acceptance regardless of differences.

How to incorporate DEJ into your daily practice?

There are several strategies you can adopt for incorporating DEJ into your practice as a healthcare professional.

Cultural competency workshops and training

If you are in an administrative or decision-making position in your institute, organising frequent cultural competency training can serve as a foundation stone for incorporating DEJ. On an individual level, you can also seek out e-learning modules to educate and train yourself.

This training could include modules targeted towards understanding a diverse range of cultures, values and practices. Such training modules often emphasise the importance of small changes - such as respecting an individual’s personal pronouns - in creating inclusive environments. Ensuring that healthcare professionals understand and value different cultures and identities will also help improve communication within teams and with patients, and consequently improve workplace dynamics and patient outcomes.

Mentorship and Support

You can take an active role in mentoring healthcare students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. This strategy, while applicable at the institutional level, is also very practical at the resident and junior doctor levels. Mentor and support colleagues and students from diverse backgrounds by offering them guidance, exposure, resources, and opportunities for professional development. This will foster a supportive environment within the workplace and continue to advance a diverse set of talents in your field. Offer equal opportunities to all regardless of their backgrounds.

At the institutional level, hospitals and universities can introduce mentorship programs that are specifically meant for students and residents from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Joining student societies and working groups that share your identity is another way of finding solidarity and peer-led support and mentoring.

Participate in Research and Advocacy

You can actively engage in research and advocacy projects that aim to address racial, gender, or cultural disparities in medicine and surgery. Another way to get involved would be to conduct community-based projects for identifying disparities, and healthcare needs. Once identified, strong advocacy campaigns could be launched that advocate for policy changes at various levels. Social media is a powerful tool and no advocacy campaign is too small!

Another way to get involved in research and advocacy would be to become a part of organisations that prioritise this. GEIGS is one such organisation. We aim to address gender disparities in global surgery and advocate for policy changes and implementation of sustainable strategies for greater inclusivity.

Conclusion

DEJ initiatives promote inclusivity, fairness, and equal opportunities for all Individuals irrespective of their backgrounds. By incorporating DEJ into your daily practice, both on the individual and institutional level, you can ensure that your workplace is inclusive and just, with better patient care and overall a more respectful environment for everyone.