Blessing Ase
The Director General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, once said that “there cannot be health without peace, and there cannot be peace without health” https://www.swisspeace.ch/apropos/who-and-interpeace-join-forces/
As a student of international conflict and cooperation, these words had me pondering on the relationship between health, managing conflict and promoting cooperation. War is first, a direct threat to life. Unfortunately for many, surviving war is more important to them than taking care of their health. In light of this, 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 encourage peace and conflict resolution.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, and keep the world safe https://www.who.int/about. It was created out of a need in 1948 to coordinate health related matters within the United Nations System. Contrary to what one might think, the World Health Organization is not solely focused on health, but also on maintaining peace, as a means to promote better health . Hence, I eagerly look forward to visit the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, to learn more about the initiatives they have put in place to resolve conflict and promote peace through health consciousness amongst other expectations.
According to the Global Health Initiative for peace, Health interventions are particularly well-suited for peacebuilding because caring for the sick and injured is considered both a neutral activity and a universal good. Health is often seen as a common goal for all sides of a conflict, capable of aligning warring factions towards a shared perspective. The fair and balanced delivery of healthcare and other social services is also crucial in conflict-affected settings, as inequitable access can be a key trigger or driver of conflict.
The World Health Organization’s Global Health initiative for peace also builds on WHO’s relative and provisional advantage in delivering public health interventions. Reflecting on my study about Global Health Initiative for peace, I realize that these health interventions are conflict sensitive and can be key in producing peace responsive resolutions in time of conflict. Understanding how the Global Health Initiative for peace implement these advantages keeps me more excited about my visit to WHO Headquarters.
To once again paraphrase Dr Tedros, Investing in Health is investing in Peace. Health needs contribute to physical, psychological, social and economic security. Investing in Health can reduce the risk of conflict as well as mitigating its impact. WHO has a clear role in pushing governments to design good health systems that can withstand crises and this form of prepared planning can contribute to conflict prevention.
Additionally, placing social services high on the political agenda helps maintain social stability, and reduce militarization in situations where the risk of violent conflict is high. Investing in the health sector makes good sense for conflict prevention as well as for socio-economic development. Empirical evidence suggests that health can help peace also in operational terms. Health problems and assets are easily recognised as common concerns and can facilitate dialogue between conflicting parties. professionals from opposing entities to cross-community activities at local level and the re-definition of health districts along functional rather than ethnic lines.
By the same token, public health is able to prevent avoidable morbidity and mortality, but in armed conflicts, public health can be effective only in as much as the security of victims is guaranteed . In order to achieve this health workers must often grant priority to non-medical action. Security and its protection, the same as water, food, sanitation and shelter are of more immediate benefit than providing health care. Women and children are particularly vulnerable in armed conflict, affected by both the direct and indirect consequences of violence, destruction and displacement, with both immediate and long-term implications for their health and well-being. https://www.biomedcentral.com/collections/branchconsortium
Furthermore, I understand that health initiatives may effectively reduce the levels of morbidity and mortality in the midst of wars and promote conflict prevention and a post-war reconciliation process, when a public health strategy combines with unhindered access to populations in need. Health initiatives may have a positive impact on peacebuilding, when they are based on wide perspective and strategic planning. This implies taking into consideration both short-term and medium/ long-term concerns, addressing both basic needs and human rights, involving local capacities for change, and promoting international partnerships and networking. On the contrary, when these conditions are not met and only short-term considerations are present, health initiatives have virtually no impact on peacebuilding. On some occasions, these initiatives may indirectly contribute to war. https://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/hbp/en/health-poster.pdf. In view of this it will be interesting to learn about other ways health initiatives can influence conflict.
One lesson learnt in the past ten years is that defining phases such as “pre-conflict, conflict and post-conflict” can be misleading. What prevails are protracted states of “no-war no-peace”, marked by instability and periodical flare-ups of violence. In this frame, though, the heaviest burden on public health occurs in “pockets of peace”, pauses in fighting and ‘post’-conflict situations.”. In complex emergencies, when inaccessible areas open up they release a “backlog” of public health needs long left unattended.
Wherever or whenever access to health care is easier, demand increases as the expectations of communities, local authorities and external partners grow. Furthermore, cease-fire arrangements, even if precarious, need special health support: for demobilization of soldiers, de-mining and return of refugees and internally displaced persons. The health sector is required to re-establish coverage, since equitable access to care is rightly perceived as a major factor of social stabilization and peace-building. A Gap and a paradox. This increased burden meets the health systems at the worst possible moment.
Now aware of the roles health and health information has in conflict resolution, I hope that this visit will give me a chance to have an interaction with a World Health Organization ambassador. Hearing the perspective of an ambassador, or one who manages a health intervention that is also serving as a means to promote world peace, will go a long way in helping me achieve my goal and objectives for this study trip. I am looking out for an open conversation in order to get answers on critical and direct questions on the ambassador’s personal experience and lessons during the intervention. This way I can understand how WHO helps in resolving conflict and promoting cooperation. I also intend to learn more about what’s new and innovative, about the Health for Peace approach in health and how health programmes can be used not only to work in conflict (achieving health benefits in conflict situations) but also to work on conflict. At a minimum, Health for Peace programmes seek to “do no harm”, while striving “do more good” avoiding unintentionally fueling conflict and instead focusing on using health care to address some of a conflict’s underlying causes.
In the same vein, having read on the national Peacebuilding Priority Plan, I hope to learn how the world health organization support governments in leading a victim-centric process of accountability, truth-seeking, reparations for past violations and guarantees of nonrecurrence in line with international standards and obligations. I noticed that the world health organization provides psychosocial support to address the psychological impacts of the conflict on women, children and persons with conflict-related disabilities, an interesting concept that I am fascinated with and would love to know more on.
I am also invested in WHO’s response to increasing fragility globally. WHO has reviewed the evidence, and tailored its existing recommendation on health financing policy specifically for those working in fragile and conflict-affected settings (FCAS). It shows that guidance follows the functional approach to health financing, analyzing health systems in terms of the core functions of revenue raising, pooling of funds, purchasing of services, and policy on benefit design. It builds on a set of guiding principles and deficits in a government’s capacity and willingness to provide basic services, deficits in a government’s ability to provide security and stability, and deficits in the legitimacy of government.
In addition to the above, I look forward to understand more on the balance between health care and how it’s crucial to conflict affected settings, that by having an extensive conversation with one of the Global Health initiative for Peace ambassadors, we can analyze Key recommendations which include: prioritizing Common Goods for Health, including population-based interventions such as disease surveillance, ensuring safe medication, and water and sanitation systems. the critical importance of coordinated action in support of domestic systems where possible, or otherwise mirror critical public functions, to prevent uncoordinated and unsustainable interventions and to strengthen resilience. the important role of cash and voucher assistance as a complement to supply-side support for the delivery of essential services, whilst maintaining access free at the point of use.
The value of health information for early warning, such as population and assessing their needs, keeping record of intentional injuries and intersectoral coordination that can save more lives than setting up a field hospital. I would like to know how timing of interventions is of crucial importance in conflict-health situations.
As a global center, I have very high expectations of how World Health Organization Headquarters should look like. I imagine a gigantic classical architectural building with lots of beautiful trees and sculptors of famous health workers, philanthropists and scientists who discovered medical breakthroughs.. As an international organization, there should be flags of all the countries, colorfully displayed on the premises. Due to the pandemic, I expect restrictions and health precautionary guidelines to be strictly adhered to by both visitors and staff.
My ideal expectation of a working environment for WHO is a very neat and professional space with a sprinkle of fun. Effective and swift communication between the subordinates and superiors is key to maintaining order in such a big organization. I would like to see a conducive environment with staff dressed appropriately in a friendly and flexible working environment that is not uptight and strict. I read that The World Health Organization has a Healthy Workplace Framework that aims to support the growth of productive approaches to magnify health and wellbeing in the workplace. This also culminates the need for leadership and management support as well as staff commitment when planning and executing in a healthy workplace. I hope to already find these systems in place when I arrive at the headquarters.
In summary, my goal for this trip is to not just to learn but to have a full experience on how the world health organization is run, and to also know more about the practical policies that have been set in place to help resolve conflict, leveraging on the need to preserve health and sharing health information. Secondly, I would love to explore the role of the World Health Organization in reinforcing health as a major factor that enforces peace and sustainable development. Lastly, I hope to gain more insight on how the world health organization and Global Health Initiative for peace creatively deploys health information to prevent conflict, encourage mediation, and promote peace. https://www.who.int/initiatives/who-health-and-peace-initiative.
After my trip, I hope to improve the prospects for peace in at least three ways suggested by WHO, which are:
i. By working to improve trust and communication between citizens and the state by making health care more accessible and equitable.
ii. By building collaboration between different sides in a conflict on common topics like health governance and the delivery of care.
iii. By improving social cohesion at local level through community healing or inclusive, health promotion initiatives.
I must say that, the most exciting part of my study trip will be the expert meeting to analyze the policies and progress of WHO’s Global Health Initiative for Peace in promoting conflict resolution and societal cooperation.
I hope that going forward in my career after my visit, I will be able to apply the knowledge I gained and make informed decisions as it concerns health and conflict management to engage in creating policies that portray Peace-relevant health interventions and can help improve prospects for peace.
https://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/hbp/Conflict.pdf
https://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/hbp/Conflict.pdf