Can Treaty Settlements Reverse the Impacts of Racism?
Prepared by Camara Jones | September 1999
With funding from the sponsors of the Ian Axford (New Zealand) Fellowships
in Public Policy
In 1999, Camara Jones,
an Assistant Professor at the Harvard University School of Public
Health, Boston, Massachusetts, was based with the Maori Health Unit
in the Ministry of Health where she examined disparities in Maori-Pakeha
health outcomes.
"My project addressed the question of Maori-Pakeha health disparities
and whether treaty settlements can reverse the impacts of racism.
I was based at the Maori Health Branch in the Ministry of Health,
where I learned about current Maori health policy initiatives, participated
in the strategic planning of the branch, and analyzed data from the
national health data. I was seconded to the Waitangi Tribunal, where
I observed three treaty claims hearings, and was also seconded to
the Ministry of Maori Development, where I learned how efforts to
improve Maori health were integrated into larger strategies of Maori
development.
I spoke widely at government, university, and public forums presenting
a framework for understanding the impacts of racism on health. I was
also interviewed by Te Atiawa radio and articles on my project, and
appeared in the Evening Post, Evening Herald, and Tu Mai Magazine,
and in the newsletters In Health, Waitangi Tribunal, and Fulbright.
The wide dissemination of my work contributed to a renewed discussion
of racism and illuminated the need for full partnership between Maori
and the New Zealand government.
Inspired by Maori development efforts, I submitted a proposal to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that couples anti-racism
strategies for community empowerment with innovative approaches for
delivering primary care to defined geographic populations. I will
share my findings and experiences in my course Race and Racism at
the Harvard School of Public Health, at the annual meeting of the
American Public Health Association, and at other public fora. My Axford
Fellowship was an enriching experience, providing the opportunity
to realize the power of my ideas."
Prologue
The somewhat provocative topic of this work represents the confluence
of four factors:
The observation of strong parallels between black-white disparities
in the United States and Maori-Pakeha disparities in New Zealand in
terms of health status, educational attainment, income, employment status
and representation in correctional facilities (treatment by the justice
system).
My work in the United States on the impacts of racism on health.
My analysis that intervention at the level of institutionalised racism
is necessary in order to reverse the detrimental impacts of racism on
a society.
My guess from half a world away that treaty settlements (under the
Treaty of Waitangi) represented intervention at the level of institutionalised
racism.
Chapter One of this report summarises the work I set out to do. Chapter
Two presents my perspectives after eight months on the question: "Maori-Pakeha
health disparities: can treaty settlements reverse the impacts of racism?"
Chapter Three presents a new perspective on looking at health status by
socio-economic status that I developed while working at the Ministry of
Health. Chapter Four presents my views on the similarities and differences
between the African-American and New Zealand Maori experiences.
Appendices at the end of the document include the text of the Treaty
of Waitangi in both Maori and English, a draft proposal for reparations
to African-Americans, a list of presentations that I made as an Ian Axford
Fellow and a list of the media coverage of my work in New Zealand.
It was a tremendous privilege for me to be able to live and learn in
New Zealand for eight months (14 January 1999 through 16 September 1999).
I never could have learned what I did or grown the way I did without being
here.
Table
of contents
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1: Description of programme
Chapter 2: Racism, Maori health and the Treaty of
Waitangi: my perspective after eight months
Chapter 3: Why socio-economic status is not the full
explanation for health disparities.
Chapter 4: Parallels and differences between the
African-American and Maori
experiences
Appendix A: Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi Appendix B: Draft proposal for reparations to African-Americans Appendix C: Talks delivered as an Ian Axford Fellow Appendix D: Coverage of my work in the New Zealand media
jonesc.pdf (361kb)
