Trabalho, Educação e Saúde - TES (Work, Education and Health) is an open access scientific journal, edited by the Joaquim Venâncio Polytechnic School of Health, from Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.
Sexism and racism operate in tandem in the production and reproduction of social inequalities. Systems of oppression, discrimination, and exploitation sustain the privileges of a dominant social group in Brazil, to the detriment of ensuring the rights of all individuals. This paper presents a brief historical overview of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), an institution that has been collectively and systematically working toward building a new institutional culture—one that challenges normalized practices and behaviors that uphold the status quo. We share insights into the Foundation’s experience and ongoing struggle against all forms of discrimination, with particular emphasis on the fight against institutional racism. We conclude by highlighting key milestones in Fiocruz’s journey toward equity, including: the establishment of the Committees for Gender and Race Equity and for Accessibility and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities; the formation of similar collectives across units and offices; the creation of the Accessibility and Inclusion Policy for Persons with Disabilities (2019), the Ethnic-Racial and Gender Equity Policy (2023); the establishment of the Coordination for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Affirmative Policies (2023); and the expansion of affirmative action policies and continuous education initiatives.
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https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8870-6654