The Impact of Violent Conflict on Child Health: What are the Channels?

Child health during and after violent conflicts has been a priority for both policymakers and academics, as illhealth in early life can be impossible to make up for in later life, and has important effects on education and adult wages. In order for policy interventions to mitigate health impacts, it is essential to understand the channels through which conflict impacts on child health. This briefing uses empirical results of research in Burundi and Rwanda to identify these channels. It outlines the policy implications of these findings, arguing that policymakers should prioritise interventions to rebuild agricultural capacity and improve sanitation conditions and nutrition in displacement camps. •What are the main channels through which violent conflict impacts on child health?