Stream 1
Health, Conflict and the Political Process
"War not only damages our health, but the very fabric of our civilisation.”
(Levy & Sidel)
War and conflict have a catastrophic impact on the lives of people worldwide. It is of paramount importance to recognise the substantial degree of morbidity and mortality which is implicated by conflict and warfare. In doing so, one must consider that implications of conflict and warfare stretch far beyond the particular moment in time, and can last for years afterwards often in the shape of mental health problems arising from the social and cultural barriers encountered with migration and re-integration into society.
War affects not just the individual, but family structures, communities and cultures, as well as entire nations. Within conflict, there is often loss of or violation of Human Rights. There may be diversion of limited resources from public services by damaging underlying infrastructure and foundations which support such services. There is new evidence to suggest that conflict and warfare has an adverse effect on the environment and is contributing to climate change. Perhaps worst of all, conflict can act to instil a "mindset" of violence, with persons thinking that violence is the natural way to resolve conflict. This can lead to high rates of domestic violence and street crime within a community.
This academic stream will concentrate on some of the political, social, economic and cultural determinants of health related to conflict and war. Delegates will be asked to consider why conflict occurs, what political processes can lead to conflict, the processes of disarmament and the influences in creating a culture of peace and reconciliation. Students will deliberate the direct and indirect impacts of conflict on health at various stages of an individual's and nation's lifespan.
There will be a focus on factors relating to conflict including political groups or "factions" within countries; economic sanctions; working around different political affiliations; and the role of policy and International Humanitarian Law. The repercussions of war will be considered, including reconciliation, Human Rights, the mobilization of humanitarian organizations, the transparency of aid, and the right to the identification of the dead. The concepts of “capacity building” will be discussed, debating differing approaches such as development vs. empowerment.
This stream will be a challenging and discussion-provoking aspect to global health. Four lectures will be given by specialists in the area. There will be two challenging workshops running simultaneously over 3 days, encompassing matters involving post-conflict East Timor and small arms violence within the Pacific Islands.
References:
Global Health Watch 2005-2006