A Just Transition for Antimicrobial Resistance Workshop, Pretoria South Africa, 23-25 October 2024

The LUNHA Hub, a partnership between the African Studies Centre Leiden, Leiden Law School, the African Child Policy Forum and the Just Transitions for AMR Working Group, convened a groundbreaking workshop on "A Just Transition for Antimicrobial Resistance" at the University of Pretoria, South Africa on October 23–25, 2024. The event brought together 40 leading experts from global health social sciences and humanities, and human rights law  to discuss the urgent issue of antimicrobial resistance through the lens of social justice, equity and rights in Africa.

Over the course of three days, participants listened engaged in lively discussions, exploring the interlinkages between human rights, animal rights, environmental health, sustainability, health equity, poverty and AMR.  The aim was to deepen cross-sectoral understanding on this issue, while also forging new ways to innovate rights-based solutions that both safeguard public health and promote human rights on the continent.

Dr Miriam Waltz, Dr Sara de Wit and Dr Sheila Varadan led discussions on ‘A Just Transition for Antimicrobial Resistance: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Shared Futures with the Microbial World’.  The dialogue centred around the challenges in ensuring governance, inclusivity and equity in policies and interventions related to antimicrobial resistance.  The forum will form provide the basis for a multidisciplinary Special Issue in the new open access journal of Cambridge University Press Public Humanities which is expected to be released in October 2025.

What were the key takeaways?

Antimicrobial resistance is not just a global health challenge, it is a human rights, animal rights, environmental rights and sustainability challenge, which is inextricably linked with climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Bracing for a future with antimicrobial resistance, in which present and future generations are able to live sustainably with the microbial world will require us to go beyond biomedical interventions to recognise the voices and rights of those most marginalized and affected by drug-resistance.

The LUNHA Hub wishes to extend their deepest gratitude to all attendees for their invaluable insights and contributions: Professor Helen Rees (University of Witwatersrand) GCOB (South Africa) OBE (UK) Officier de l'Ordre National du Mérite (France), Distinguished Professor Lenore Manderson (University of Witwatersrand), Professor Esmita Charani (University of Cape Town), Mia Malan ( Bhekisisa), Samkele Mkumbuzi (University of Cape Town), Professor Natalie Schellack (University of Pretoria), Mbali Jiyane,( Eh! Woza), Dr Andrew Bennie (Institute of Economic Justice), Dr Busis Moyo (University of Cape Town), Dr Boitshoki Ntshabele, Timothy Hodgson (ICJ), Dr Kaunda Yamba (ReACT), Sasha Stevenson, Section 27), Dr Joan Nyanyuki (ACPF), Dr Shimelis Tsegaye (ACPF), Professor Nkatha Murungi (Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria) Dr Elvis Fokala (Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria), Karabo Ozah (Child Law Centre, University of Pretoria), Professor Frans Viljoen (Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria)

The workshop was convened as part of the British Academy funded Just Transitions for AMR Working Group program.

Call for submissions for upcoming edition of Public Humanities

Public Humanities is a new international open-access, cross-disciplinary, peer-reviewed journal at the intersection of humanities scholarship and public life. The journal invites proposals for themed issues that pose urgent questions on contemporary public issues that require rigorous and relevant humanities knowledge.

The journal invites submissions for the upcoming Themed Issue Just Transitions: Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Shared Futures with Antimicrobial Resistance which will be Guest Edited by Dr Sheila Varadan, Dr Miriam Waltz, Dr Sara de Wit and Dr Claas Kirchhelle.

The deadline for submissions is 1 May 2025.

More information on the call for submissions can be found here.

For further information, please contact:
Dr Sheila Varadan, Assistant Professor of Children’s Rights and Global Health: s.r.varadan@law.leidenuniv.nl
Dr Sara de Wit, Assistant Professor of climate change and Global Health s.de.wit@hum.leidenuniv.nl