Peacebuilding and Public Health
SHARE THIS ARTICLE
By Rotary Peace Fellow Mohammed Fakhry. Originally published in The Swarthmorean, May 16, 2025.
Dr. Mohammed Fakhry, Rotary Peace Fellow
I never imagined myself here—a Rotary Peace Fellow studying for a Masters degree in Public Health at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. My earliest dreams were of being a doctor, directly treating patients, alleviating their pain, sending them home healthy, and witnessing their conditions improve over time. These aspirations were shaped profoundly by my experiences with the healthcare system in my home country, Yemen.
Yemen, tragically, has been caught in a cycle of civil war and recurring violence for decades. This turmoil has cultivated profound injustices and deep inequities, fueling disparities that erupt into conflict at the slightest trigger. Yet, this narrative is not solely about the war itself but rather about how addressing these underlying inequities can foster lasting peace.
Peace is not merely the absence of war; this is what scholars define as negative peace. Negative peace may look calm on the surface—with no active hostilities—but beneath it linger injustice, structural divides, neglect, and abandonment, all fertile ground for future violence. True peace, or positive peace, involves removing these underlying causes of conflict, establishing conditions where societies can thrive equitably and sustainably.
Sadly, Yemen experiences neither positive nor negative peace.
Understanding how to navigate this delicate state involves distinguishing clearly between different approaches to peace. Peacekeeping primarily focuses on achieving negative peace by stabilizing immediate crises and preventing direct violence. Peacemaking complements this by actively engaging conflicting parties through diplomacy, negotiations, and mediation to secure agreements and ceasefires. Peacebuilding, however, represents the deepest commitment to peace by fostering positive peace—addressing structural inequities and the root causes of conflict.
My personal journey toward peacebuilding began when I worked as a medical doctor serving marginalized communities across Yemen. Each week I traveled to underserved governorates, providing care while simultaneously working at a major referral hospital in my hometown, Aden.
Even before COVID-19 struck Yemen, the healthcare system was fragile, worn down by years of prolonged conflict. Hospitals struggled to operate, healthcare workers faced overwhelming burdens, and only minimal services were available. When COVID-19 arrived, it dealt a final blow, collapsing the already crippled health system. Hospitals shuttered their doors, essential health services vanished, and suffering multiplied exponentially.
This crisis was transformative for me, shifting my perspective from individual patient care to the structural problems that undermined the entire health system. Driven by this realization, I joined the International Committee of the Red Cross, dedicating myself to public health initiatives addressing systemic inequities. My work took me to remote villages, marginalized communities, and even among prisoners of war, deepening my understanding of structural injustice.
At this pivotal time, Rotary International was seeking a new cohort of Peace Fellows, individuals committed to making sustainable contributions to peace. Thanks to the remarkable support of the Rotary Club of Swarthmore and Rotary District 7450, I found myself on this extraordinary new path.
Today, I am privileged to be a Rotary Peace Fellow at the Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center, pursuing my master's degree in Public Health at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, one of the nation's premier public health institutions. My studies span both UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University, offering comprehensive coursework in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and public health.
Reflecting on my journey, I now realize the profound interconnectedness of public health and peace. Health equity is integral to peacebuilding; without addressing underlying inequities, including health disparities, sustainable peace remains elusive. I never imagined myself in this role, yet today I see clearly that this is exactly where I belong—working tirelessly to build a world where health and peace flourish hand-in-hand.
The Rotary Peace Fellowship and the associated ten Rotary Peace Centers around the world are regarded as Rotary’s premier program for advancing its international commitment to positive peace.. Fakhry was awarded the Peace Fellowship in 2024.