When the contradictions of a system call for advocacy

It’s not easy to navigate the complexity of a system for social harmony. The expected social impact and the actual one are often contradictory. This is what Doctors of the World Canada —a team dedicated to healthcare for the most vulnerable, such as victims of armed conflict and natural disasters— has found.

As an independent humanitarian organization that has been on the ground for several decades in some of the world’s most dangerous places, Doctors of the World is acutely aware of the challenges faced by migrants with precarious status. In order to tackle the flaws in the system here in Quebec, the organization is opting for an approach that is equal parts systemic and strategic.

In this episode of the Raccords podcast, we talk with Nadja Pollaert, executive director of Doctors of the World Canada and a longtime advocate for children’s rights, refugees, and asylum seekers. She describes how her team is mobilizing to provide access to healthcare for vulnerable populations. 

Migrants with precarious status are currently excluded from the system, she says—but they are nevertheless protected by multiple international human rights conventions to which Canada is a signatory. It’s a contradiction that reveals the usefulness of systemic thinking in addressing the complex challenges of today.