Social and Economic Consequences of Violent Armed Conflicts

Abstract

Ongoing violent armed conflict in Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in the displacement of thousands of non-Kashmiri households since early 1998. Displacement increases the pressures on young children to work, possibly at the expense of their schooling, and also leads to under-nourishment and malnutrition, which has caused poor physical growth, inability to learn, and poor work performance. The “care and maintenance” assistance and aid received by displaced families was completely undependable, erratic, and inadequate, and given the opportunity, they would like to move out from the camp as quickly as possible. The displaced children have special vulnerabilities and require additional care and protection from disease, hunger, malnutrition, and abuse. There is urgent need to meet the physical needs of displaced families such as water, sanitation, healthcare, shelter, and psycho-social assistance. Education, including literacy training, primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational, life skills, informal, and other age-specific educational opportunities, is needed for young children.