Panel details

Panel organiser(s) will be presenting	In-Person & Online
Number of paper presentations	4
Location	Bergen

Abstract

Over the past decade, humanitarian staff health has gained increasing attention from practitioners and scholars. Organisations carry a duty of care towards their personnel, and it is well established that unmanaged mental health problems can have significant consequences — not only for individual staff members’ personal and professional lives, but also for organisational functioning. Within the wider health community, racism is recognised as an important determinant of health, particularly of mental health. Yet, despite the diversity of the humanitarian workforce, little systematic evidence exists on how racism manifests within organisations and how such experiences affect staff mental health and well-being. Moreover, racism and mental health are often addressed in isolation, which risks weakening both anti-racism efforts and staff care initiatives. This session takes up this important but under-explored topic through the screening of the documentary Colour. The screening will be followed by an interactive panel discussion, creating space for joint reflection, dialogue, and the identification of practical steps forward.

Film synopsis:
Colour (2024, 64mins) is a documentary that explores colonial continuities within humanitarian organisations, particularly highlighting the issue of racism in the workplace and its effects on the mental health and wellbeing of staff. Originating from the research project “Racism and Mental Health: A Qualitative Study with Humanitarian Workers” led by Dr. Hannah Strohmeier at the Center for Global Health, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the film portrays the lived experiences of staff based in Nairobi alongside scientific data and information on the topic. Colour reveals the limited organisational discourse on the critical issue of racism and its relation to mental health. By amplifying the voices of staff, the film advocates for increased dialogue and action to create a more equitable and supportive environment for all humanitarian workers.

Paper presentations