OVERVIEW
The Global Health Solidarity (GH-Solidarity) Project is a five-year research initiative funded by the Wellcome Trust, led by Dr. Caesar Atuire (University of Ghana / University of Oxford). The project brings together co-investigators from Australia, South Africa, Canada, Costa Rica, the USA, and Austria to rethink and strengthen how solidarity is understood and practiced in global health.
THE CHALLENGE
Slogans like “we are all in this together” and “no one is safe until everyone is safe” accompanied the surge in calls for solidarity during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the results have not been satisfactory on a global scale. Mechanisms such as the WHO-led COVAX facility exposed deep inequities and the lack of shared tools to operationalize solidarity ideals. Conceptual ambiguities and a lack of accountability among global actors result from current conceptions, which are ambitious but under-theorized
OBJECTIVES
- Move beyond rhetorical appeals to generate an intercultural and pluriversal understanding of solidarity for global health.
- Amplify marginalized voices, particularly from the Global South, to co-create knowledge and frameworks.
- Encourage exchange across disciplines and regions to establish shared goals for solidarity practice.
- Develop practical tools, including a solidarity index and ranking, to measure how global health actors embody solidaristic values.
- Nurture emerging scholars engaged in intercultural, conceptual, and empirical ethics research.
APPROACH
The project investigates how different conceptions of solidarity can coexist and influence equitable practice using a pluriversal approach—”a world in which many worlds fit.” Activities include literature reviews, regional and deliberative workshops, qualitative studies, mapping exercises, and the design of measurement tools.
EXPECTED OUTCOMES
The project aims to transform both understanding and implementation of solidarity by:
- Broadening global health’s conceptual discourse.
- Creating space for silenced perspectives.
- Moving from rhetoric to measurable practice.
- Offering actionable tools for accountability in solidarity efforts.
TEAM
Principal Investigator
Prof. Caesar Atuire (University of Ghana / University of Oxford)
Co-Investigators
Prof. Barbara Prainsack (Austria) | Prof. Bridget Pratt (Australia) | Prof. Elysee Nouvet (Canada) | Prof. Gabriela Arguedas (Costa Rica) | Prof. Jantina de Vries (South Africa) | Prof. Unni Karunakara (USA)
Project Staff
The project is supported by a dedicated international staff team coordinating research, logistics, and communication across partner institutions, including:
Samuel Asiedu Owusu, Agathine Asomaning, Eugene Ankamah, Athanasius Afful, Elias Weiss, Jae-Eun Noh, Ashish Giri, Donna Andrews, Francisco Mendina, Mary Ntochukwu Ndu, Julian Natukunda, Natalie Tegama, Agnetta Lucia Nabukenya, and Hannah Healey.
Global Health Solidarity Network (GHSN)
The GHSN is an open community of researchers, practitioners, students, civil society organizations, and institutions who share an interest in advancing solidarity in global health. Through webinars, workshops, and forums, the network fosters dialogue, collaboration, and capacity-building around solidarity practice, while promoting knowledge exchange between the global North and South.
Contact & More Information
globalhealthsolidarity@ug.edu.gh
www.globalhealthsolidarity.org
Funded by: Wellcome Trust
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HUMANITARIAN HEALTH ETHICS 