Children, conflict and health
See also:
CHILD HEALTH – ARMED CONFLICT
Children in conflict zones: seen but not heard
Anthony B Zwi, Natalie J Grove, Paul Kelly, Michelle Gayer, Pilar Ramos-Jimenez, Johannes Sommerfeld
The Lancet - Volume 367, Number 9526, 10 June 2006
Registration is Free
The paper is freely available as a link to the Lancet site.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606688235/fulltext
“……Children are amongst the most vulnerable in conflict zones, yet too often their voices remain unheard on crucial decisions affecting their health, according to this commentary in The Lancet.The paper “Child health in armed conflict: time to rethink” comes on the back of an international symposium on child health in conflict situations, which was held in The Philippines in January 2006.
The paper highlights the impact of conflict on child health and draws particular attention to the ways in which children and young people respond and adapt to conflict-affected environments. While conflict often increases vulnerability, many children exhibit resilience and agency, and take on new and important roles which are relevant to their own and other people’s health. The issue is currently relevant in many countries including Uganda, East Timor, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
The Commentary draws particular attention to the need for those seeking to control infectious diseases and other health problems to work more closely with communities and to understand their perspectives and perceptions of ill health and how to control it. The commentary highlights the value of engaging children and young people in research processes which are geared to addressing their health needs and calls for greater commitment to child-centred research. The authors conclude that public health practitioners must be prepared to listen to and be led by young people and to act on what they find….. “
The authors invite comments and responses (
a.zwi@unsw.edu.au)
Professor Anthony Zwi, School of Public Health and Community Medicine & Associate Dean (International)
Faculty of Medicine, The University of New South Wales – Sydney
Natalie Grove, School of Public Health and Community Medicine UNSW; Michelle Gayer, the World Health Organization; Johannes Sommerfeld , the Special Program on Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR); Paul Kelly ,the Australian National University; and Pilar Ramos-Jimenez ,University de la Salle in Manila, Philippines .