This paper presents a preliminary overview of policies and practices in health focusing equity. It begins with a brief description of the actions developed by the Collective Health Nursing Department of the School of Nursing of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, to support the struggle for social equity. It also presents the different perspectives of the concept that can be identified in health literature, each of them shaping distinct policies and practices.
Equity; Social inequity; Public policies; Public health; Nursing