A new research program at York’s Global Strategy Lab (GSL) brings law and public health together to create better responses to global health challenges.
The GSL is a pivotal research centre aligned with York University’s commitment to addressing complex global health challenges. It’s done so by bringing together students, faculty and professionals from multiple disciplines and institutions to work on applied research projects that focus on global antimicrobial resistance, public health institutions and global legal epidemiology.
Its goal is to offer critical insights for researchers and policymakers on evidence-informed, equitable approaches to global health governance.
The new program, says Mathieu Poirier, GSL director, expands upon the lab's leadership by enlisting the research efforts of York faculty and students, as well as external partnerships.
“At the Global Strategy Lab, we advise governments and public health organizations on how to design laws, policies and institutions that make the world healthier for everyone,” he says. “Our new Global Health Law research program will build on this mission by consolidating our leadership in this newly emerging field to inform more equitable and effective legal systems that respond to health threats that transcend borders.”
The program emerged in part from the lessons of COVID-19 – which underscored the critical need for stronger legal frameworks to guide both national and international responses to health emergencies. It is the first program of its kind in Canada, says inaugural Research Director Roojin Habibi.
As an example, Habibi points to her collaboration with former GSL director Steven Hoffman on the 2019 Stellenbosch Consensus Statement, which outlines when states can legally impose travel restrictions consistent with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations.
That work proved to be prescient. When the pandemic struck, the statement served as a key reference for policymakers and scholars assessing whether government travel bans aligned with international law. It demonstrated how global health law can provide clarity and accountability during crises.
Building on those insights, Habibi hopes the new program will continue to advance understanding of how international, regional, national and non-state actors can use law to shape health responses and build stronger systems. A central focus is developing long-term, grant-funded research projects that explore how law influences public health systems.
One of the first projects is studying how amendments to WHO’s International Health Regulations, introduced after COVID-19, are translated into Canada’s public health system. This work draws directly on GSL’s interdisciplinary expertise in law and epidemiology to assess how legal reforms affect national preparedness and health equity. “We have the opportunity to engage our legal and epidemiological tools to analyze that in a systematic, systems-level way,” says Habibi.
Beyond research, the program is designed to enhance training and education of the next generation of global health scholars. Habibi plans to expand experiential learning opportunities for York undergraduate and graduate students through research assistantships – something she says is critical, given the growing post-pandemic interest in global health law careers.
“Students understand they have a role to play in strengthening institutions like the World Health Organization or the Public Health Agency of Canada. I see a lot of students who are ready to pick up the tools at their disposal and forge ahead in building healthier communities,” says Habibi.
“I’d love to see this program have policy impact through interface with governments and international organizations, and make Canada a hub for global health law research.”
For more details, email Habibi at roojin.habibi@globalstrategylab.org.