Building peace in fragile and conflict settings through health

Conflicts often lead to the disruption of health systems, collapse of essential medical supply chains, breakdown of social and economic systems, exodus of health care workers, and upsurges in both epidemics and starvation.

While health often deteriorates in conflict, health can also bring about peace. Health is a neutral starting point for bringing together rival parties as they work towards the same health initiative, such as vaccinating children or healing the wounded. However, if there is inequity in health service delivery, conflict can be further exacerbated.

WHO is working to develop a new health and peace programme, that builds its technical competencies, legitimacy, relationships and convening power in the health arena to develop

innovative ways to address conflict factors, strengthen resilience to violence and empower people to build and rebuild peaceful relations with each other.

The Organization works to achieve health outcomes through peace promotion, by leveraging its advocacy role. This may include, signalling the impact of sanctions on healthcare systems, promoting delivery of healthcare without the threat of violence, supporting health mediation when political mediation actors cannot enter this space, as well as by providing strong evidence on the impact of war on health.

WHO also achieves peace dividends through health interventions, such as negotiating for cessation of hostilities to conduct vaccinations campaigns.