gender and war: the effects of armed conflict on women's health and mental health

gender and war: the effects of armed conflict on women

The armed conflict is characterised by burning of villages, destruction of property, kidnappings, extra-judiciary killings and population displacements according to eye witness reports. What began as a peaceful protest of lawyers and teachers over perceived marginalization termed the ‘Anglophone Crisis’ turned into an armed conflict by the end of 2017. In 2016, Cameroon faced another crisis in the English-speaking Northwest (NW) and Southwest (SW) regions. The influx of refugees from Nigeria into Cameroon also put a strain on the weakened health services in the area, rendering containment of any outbreak a difficult task. The disruption of normal life and health services due to the insurgency created an enabling environment for the spread of communicable diseases. Many health facilities closed as health workers and the communities fled for safety.

At least eight out of the thirty health districts in the Far North region of Cameroon were severely affected. The Boko Haram insurgency reduced the availability and accessibility of health services in the affected areas. Some studies have documented the implications of the insurgency on the public health sector in Nigeria however, to the best of our knowledge, only one study has reported the impact on the health sector in Cameroon.

The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria began in 2010 and later spread to the Northern regions of Cameroon in 2013. Ĭameroon has been experiencing armed conflicts in her Northern and Western regions. Population displacement has the potential to negatively affect the public health system in settings that are not directly experiencing armed conflicts. In countries experiencing protracted conflicts in the region, there are shortages of health staff, under resourced facilities and interrupted medical supplies. In Africa, endemic poverty and weak health systems amplify the negative effects of armed conflicts in the region. It has been reported that armed conflicts can negate the efforts made in the fight against causes of mortality and morbidity, including eradication of poliomyelitis. In Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic are facing protracted conflicts and in the Americas, Mexico is experiencing criminal violence. For example, in Asia, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq are experiencing the most violent conflicts in recent times. Globally, all continents have experienced armed conflicts at some period in the past.

Gender and war: the effects of armed conflict on women's health and mental health