Training for Health Workers: Child rights and health work in times of conflict [Under Development]

Please note that the health training, which will include a guide for facilitators and related materials such as case studies, is currently under development. Please use the red subscription button to sign up for alerts so you will be informed when new documents, including the full training package, are available.

In their daily work, health workers make decisions that can mean the difference between the protection or violation of children’s rights. This training is specifically designed to raise the awareness of health workers about children’s rights to health and protection. It intends to bridge the gap between the legal conceptualization of children’s rights to health and the daily practice of health workers.

Background:

The number of children living in a conflict zone has increased by more than 75 percent since the early 1990s. By many metrics, children are more at risk in conflict now than at any time in the last 20 years. Collective actions are needed to turn back the tide of brutality and indifference and to better protect children in conflict. All actors must strive to prevent children from being put at risk, uphold international laws and standards, and rebuild shattered lives. One of many measures is to train and support health professionals so that they can better provide health care and protection to the children they meet.

For this purpose, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden has funded a Training Package for health workers focusing on protecting children in conflict settings, developed by Save the Children Sweden. Concerning the development of the training package, a two-day version of the course was piloted in November 2018 by Save the Children Sweden and Save the Children International in collaboration with OHCHR and organizations within the health sector.

The Training:

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is still the convention with the largest number of ratifications. With the legal framework and its principles as a solid foundation, this training provides an opportunity for health workers to reflect on their responsibilities, their relation to children, and what it means to respect and apply children’s rights in their daily practice, as well as managing ethical dilemmas and challenges.

The training includes sessions on

• Introduction to the UN human rights system and Children’s Rights

• Protection of Health in Humanitarian Work

• Child Rights-Based Approaches to Health

• Child Rights Principles, Health, and Protection

• Applying training lessons: practical exercises