About Crossing Borders
Everyone has the right to the “highest attainable standard of health”
- Article 12, UN International Covenant on economic, social and cultural rights
Undocumented migrants, asylum seekers and/or refugees will form a proportion of almost every Doctor’s patient population. Yet, in many countries, migrants often receive substandard levels of health care, if any at all.
Who we are
Crossing Borders for Health is an international network of students whose mission is to remove barriers to health care for refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants.
We believe that health care is a universally recognized, fundamental human right that transcends the boundaries of state, culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, political affiliation, as well as economic, social or other status. We work to ensure that these rights are realised by migrants through education of this population and health care professionals, campaigns initiating policy change and direct assistance projects.
Our Aim
Our aim is to create a cohort of future health care professionals that are willing and able to provide refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants with the highest standard of available health care.
Our Partners
Crossing Borders for health is a project initiated by Medsin, in the UK, and is now an accredited international project of the International Federation of Medical Students Association (IFMSA), which is the World Health Organisation’s official student forum.
Our local branch has newly been created in partnership with the Monash University global health group – Ignite.
Projects
We provide direct assistance to the local community through our Crossing Borders buddy program. This runs in partnership with an established local asylum seeker organisation, where volunteer students are paired with newly arrived asylum seekers and refugees to assist them in settling in to Melbourne.
Advocacy and Campaigning
We work to raise awareness on entitlement to health care laws and to make the specific health care needs of refugees and asylum seekers a compulsory party of the health care curriculum.
Education
We offer monthly talks on issues facing refugees and asylum seekers in Australia, with various guest speakers who are experts in the field.
Crossing Borders - NATIONAL PROJECT LAUNCH!
When: Thursday 6th October
Time: 7:00pm
Where: Level 5 Lecture Theatre, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Prahran
Speakers: Kon Karapangiotidis – Founder and CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC)
We are proud to announce the National Project Launch of Crossing Borders on Thursday 6th of October, featuring Kon Karapangiotidis - founder and CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, finalist Australian of the Year, voted one of Melbourne’s 100 most influential people by The Age Melbourne magazine, lawyer, social worker and teacher!
LEARN about issues relating to refugee and asylum seeker welfare
DISCUSS current health problems in the refugee and asylum seeker populations in Australia with other like minded healthcare students over some international delicacies!
GET INVOLVED:
- Joining crossing borders
- Volunteering at the ASRC
- Donate on the night - Collection boxes will be available on the night for gold coin donations
Make a difference!
For more information please contact Genna at JLIB_HTML_CLOAKING