Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 2023, First published online, 27 July 2023

As Indigenous Māori wāhine (women) researchers who work within hauora Māori (Māori health), our vision is for all Indigenous peoples and their communities to thrive and to flourish, and to meet their self-determined aspirations for wellbeing. In order for this to happen, Indigenous peoples must live free from all forms of racism and discrimination.
Racism is a fundamental determinant of health [1] and an underlying cause of Indigenous health inequities.[2,3] Racism is an organised societal system of oppression based upon erroneous ideologies of inherent superiority and inferiority of socially constructed ‘racial’ or ethnic groups that serves to privilege the dominant ‘racial’/ethnic group while at the same ]time disadvantaging other groups.[1–3] Operating at structural, personally mediated and internalised levels,4 racism impacts on health via multiple pathways.1,3 Racism is also central to the colonial project.[2] As Reid et al. highlight, an understanding of racism as “a global system that, intertwined with colonisation, delivers resources and opportunities inequitably is necessary to make sense of Indigenous health”.[2], (Introduction to editorial). Record #8350