Impact of armed conflict on non-combatant civilians

Armed conflict takes a profound toll on non-combatant civilian populations. Over the past century, an increasing percentage of deaths during armed conflict have been to non-combatant civilian populations. Civilians also suffer from much morbidity as a result of armed-conflict-related injuries and physical and mental disorders due to breakdown of the health-supporting infrastructure of society. Armed conflict also accounts for large numbers of displaced persons, damage to the environment, violation of human rights, and diversion of human and financial resources. This presentation will describe these adverse health consequences of armed conflict on civilian populations with examples from the Iraq War, the war in Afghanistan, and the civil war in Syria.