Dear friends,

For many people who are socially marginalized, contact with health facilities is too often characterized by physical abuse, insults, invasion of privacy, forced medical procedures, or denial of care. This amounts to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and in some cases, torture.

The Open Society Foundations are working to stop these abuses through the Campaign to Stop Torture in Health Care. We’re committed to a world where health care centers are safe, and where our governments act to prevent all forms of torture. Read more below and find out how you can help.

Paul Silva
psilva@sorosny.org | Twitter: @PauloNYC

Follow the campaign on Twitter: @CareNotTorture

Stop Torture in Health Care

“When I go to a hospital or clinic,” writes Francoise Girard, director of the Open Society Public Health Program, “I expect to receive good quality, respectful care, and I usually do. Unfortunately, that is not the experience for many people around the world. For them, health care settings are not places of healing, but places where severe mental or physical suffering is inflicted as a result of government policy or negligence. This is especially true for patients from socially marginalized groups—people living with HIV, gays and lesbians, transgender persons, people who use drugs, and people with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems. Their contact with health facilities is too often characterized by physical abuse, insults, invasion of privacy, forced medical procedures, or denial of treatment.”

Such abuses must stop, and we all must do our part to make sure that they do. Read more from Françoise Girard, see interviews with people who have experienced abuse, and join the global discussion.

How can you help stop torture in health care? Check out the campaign’s website for the latest actions. This week, send a letter to the Minister of Health in Namibia and demand an end to forced sterilization of women living with HIV.

We're Hiring

What We're Reading

From Our Twitter Feeds

Follow us: @OpenSociety.