5049.0: Wednesday, October 24, 2001: 8:30 AM-10:00 AM

Oral Session

Conflict and Health Issues in Economic Sanctions

Economic sanctions may cause humanitarian damage to vulnerable populations, most importantly the elderly, the poor, women, and children. UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali in 1995 asked "the ethical question of whether suffering inflicted on vulnerable groups…is a legitimate means of exerting pressure…" Following the close of the first post-cold war decade of sanctions, and following extensive criticism of UN and US policies, sanctions against Yugoslavia, Afganistan, Angloa, Cuba, and Liberia are being modified. The public health perspective provides an excellent platform to assess the effectiveness of humanitarian protections, the interface of humanitarian and human rights concerns, and the adequacy of monitoring. Country examples will examine and lead to discussion on humanitarian protections and remedies, vulnerable groups, and the health effects of sanctions. Moderator: Beth Rivin M.D., M.P.H. Speakers: Colin Rowat, MA and Kathy Kelly - Iraq Richard Garfield, RN DrPH-Yugoslavia Manual Bessler, MA-Afghanistan
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement.
Learning Objectives: To specify the humanitarian damage and health impacts that can result from economic sanctions on certain populations To identify vulnerable subgroups of the population and the ways they are affected by economic sanctions To specify similarities and differences among countries experiencing economic sanctions To understand public health's role in assessing, documenting and monitoring humanitarian and health impacts To understand the role of humanitarian law and human rights instruments in protecting those affected by economic sanctions
Moderator(s):Beth E Rivin, MD, MPH
8:30 AMHealth Impact of Economic Sanctions
Colin Rowat, PhD, Richard Garfield, RN, DrPH, Manuel Bessler, LLM
Sponsor:International Health
Cosponsors:Occupational Health and Safety; Peace Caucus; Social Work; Socialist Caucus; Women's Caucus
CE Credits:CME, Health Education (CHES), Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work

The 129th Annual Meeting of APHA