CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS till September 07, 2025
International Colloquium: ” Shaping Inclusive Health in Europe: Infectious Diseases, Support Networks, and Migrant Agency ”
14 november 2025
location: Paris Cité University, France
Keywords: migrant health, HIV, tuberculosis, harm reduction, community health, Ukrainian refugees, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, WHO European region, social determinants of health.
This colloquium is co-organized by Cermes3, CEPED, and REG to discuss critical health challenges that migrant populations across the receiving countries of Europe and en-route.
Studies highlight that migration can present significant health challenges, particularly during the initial adjustment period. While migration o ers opportunities for a better life, studies indicate that migrant communities often face disparities in health outcomes. For example, HIV prevalence is 2-4 times higher among some migrant groups compared to host populations (ECDC, 2023). Access to healthcare remains a hurdle, with 30-60% of refugees encountering substantial barriers (WHO Europe, 2022). Additionally, mental health surveys show that 40% of war-displaced Ukrainians report symptoms of anxiety or depression (Lancet, 2024). These findings underscore the need for targeted support to help migrants fully benefit from the opportunities migration can bring while addressing systemic health challenges. The event will bring together researchers, policymakers, and civil society representatives to address these pressing issues. Special attention will be given to the agency of Ukrainian and other Eastern European migrant communities in improving access to healthcare, with a particular focus on key and vulnerable populations.
Oral presentations, posters and panel discussions will cover HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis care, access to other medical services, and mental health support for migrants and refugees across the WHO Europe region selected through peer review.
The Organizing Committee for this event includes Dr. Annabel Desgrées du Loû from CEPED at IRD-Université de Paris, Dr. Daniel Kashnitsky from Cermes3 at Université Paris Cité as the corresponding organiser, Krystyna Rivera from the Ukrainian NGO “100% Life”, Prof. Laurence Simmat-Durand from Cermes3, and Maria Vyatchina from the University of Tartu in Estonia.
The colloquium will examine how community-led health initiatives can accelerate progress toward SDG 3 targets, using Ukrainian and East European migrant experiences as case studies. Supported by ANRS|MIE and Inserm, the event takes place on 14 November 2025 at the Paris Cité University, Paris, France.
Researchers may submit their abstracts in English for oral presentations or posters (300 words maximum) accompanied by a brief bio (100 words maximum) until 07 September 2025 at daniel.kashnitsky@inserm.fr (with a reference ABSTRACT for Support Networks and Migrant Agency: Shaping Inclusive health Policies and practices across Europe Colloquium).
Both university-based and civil-society-based researchers are welcome to submit their abstracts. Please, indicate whether you apply for an oral presentation or an abstract. Travel scholarships will be available for a very limited number of selected presenters (please, indicate in your application if you need support).
For all inquiries, please contact Daniel Kashnitsky (daniel.kashnitsky@inserm.fr).
References:
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. HIV and migrants. Monitoring implementation of the Dublin Declaration on partnership to fight HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia: 2022 progress report (2023).
Stockholm: ECDC. Roberts, B., Murphy, A., Chikovani, I., Makhashvili, N., Patel, V., & McKee, M. (2024).
Mental health care utilisation among displaced Ukrainians in Europe. The Lancet Psychiatry, 11(3), 201-215. World report on the health of refugees and migrants. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022.