How “global” is our global health system? A critical look at the current system shows how it is a product of colonialism and white supremacy dominated by individuals from high-income countries, which perpetuates inequality and racism in healthcare around the world. In this talk, Colleen Daniels highlights the impact of racism on health and calls for a shift in the global health system towards equity, inclusion and decolonization. Colleen is the Deputy Director and Public Health Lead at Harm Reduction International. She has 25 years of work experience in HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, gender, human rights, challenging operating environments, harm reduction, and community systems strengthening, working to deliver access to essential health services. She has worked in programs globally and has lived and worked in Australia, Kenya, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Thailand, the Kingdom of Tonga and the USA.

She has worked in a variety of settings, including the Stop TB Partnership (UNOPS), World Health Organization (WHO), Treatment Action Group, Health Action International (HAI), and the Tongan and Australian Governments (Department of Immigration and AusAID). She developed the global strategy on tuberculosis and human rights and worked with tuberculosis and HIV civil society to increase their capacity to engage with the Global Fund, UN agencies, donors and governments. She also worked to catalyze global leadership to accelerate momentum toward universal access for high-quality tuberculosis and TB/HIV services; and to accelerate funding and progress in R&D for better tools to prevent, diagnose, and treat TB. While at WHO, she was responsible for developing and implementing advocacy campaigns and communications strategies to accelerate TB/HIV service delivery in developing countries. She is a member of the Technical Review Panel for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; and an Advisory Committee Member of the Racial Diversity in Global Health Project. She has a BA in International Relations from St Mary’s University and a MA in International Studies from the University of Melbourne. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx