Program Description: While the spread of COVID-19 has posed a huge challenge to the whole world, its impact on ethnic, religious, and sexual minorities has been far more severe. In countries like India, existing poverty, traditional biases, and discriminatory policies by those in power has inflicted even more wounds on the already disadvantaged communities. It has resulted in undermining of various constitutional and human rights protections including the right to equality, right against discrimination, freedom of expression, right to health, and most importantly right to life and personal liberty. This lecture will highlight how the pandemic has caused further marginalization of minorities in India with specific reference to the Muslim community.

Presenter Bio:

Dr Azim Khan is a professor of health and human rights with a zeal for social activism. Currently, he is working as Chair-MA Global Health program and an Academic Director for India: Public Health, Gender, and Community Action program of SIT Study Abroad-School for International Training since January 2008. He is a committed practitioner, academic and policy influencer contributing in the field of public health, education, human rights, and youth leadership development for the last 22 years. Dr Khan is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, UK, and a lifetime member of the Indian Public Health Association. He received the Ford Foundation International Fellowship for Human Rights for his academic excellence, leadership, and commitment to the community in 2003. In 2007, he was awarded a Scholar of Peace fellowship by the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He has worked with Indian Universities and the US colleges, teaching law, public health, human rights, and policy advocacy for sustainable development. He was also the lead writer for a shadow country report on India for the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (UN CERD). Dr Khan has co-founded several education and development initiatives including Foundation for Public Health, Education, and Development-a community-based organization and a high school-Global School of Learning in his own community in India.

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Co-sponsored by: The Roukema Center for International Education, SIT Study Abroad, the George T. Potter Library, and the Ramapo Provost Office.