The psychosocial causes and consequences of violent conflict and war are a central concern of Medact.
One of the Aims and Objects in our Constitution is to seek to 'promote the right to health and peaceful existence worldwide' by means which include 'seeking to understand the causes of violent conflict and working towards its prevention'. This can involve:
Investigating the origins of violent conflict between groups and individuals
Promoting non-violent methods for the prevention and resolution of violent conflict
Assisting in the relief of the physical and psychological effects of violent conflict
Examining the health and environmental consequences of violent conflict and of the preparation and use of weapons of conflict, especially nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction
Proposing the re-allocation of resources now devoted to armaments to the promotion of health.
Projects related to this aim are carried out by Medact staff often supported by members of the Working Group on Violence, Conflict and Health.
They involve liaison with many relevant networks and groups such as International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and its affiliates
You can find more information on Psychosocial by visiting the archive.
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Medact 2008 AGMDisarmament, Denial and Distraction: the psychology behind nuclear weapons and their retention
Notes and presentations from this years AGM 24/06/2008
Conflict, Mental Health and Making the PeaceConflict, Mental Health and Making the Peace, a 2-day conference hosted by the Institute of Psychiatry and co-sponsored by the World Psychiatric Association, will take place at on May 12th and 13th. The conference will have a clinical psychiatric focus on global conflicts and the possibilities for their resolution. It will include talks from the former Minister of Health for Greece, speaking in conjunction with a Professor of Psychiatry from Istanbul. Experts from both Iran and Iraq will be presenting and leading psychiatric experts from Israel and Palestine will conduct a symposium. Book before March 14th for a 10% reduction to conference fees.14/03/2008
Learning from Kosovo the future of humanitarian interventionIn a world of increasing communications, the effect of conflict on distant areas should not be underestimated. Precedents are set, opinions and policies formed according to what people and governments observe happening in seemingly far and unrelated lands. Something must be done is a plea coming from many - those who suffer, those who observe, those who may actually have the power to do something. 09/07/2004
