The Impact of War on Children’s Wellbeing and Development

By
Erwin Jiayuan Khoo
Barbara Rubio
Jeffrey Goldhagen
October 8, 2026

Bmj Paediatrics Open

Overview

The article frames armed conflict as a political determinant of children’s health and development, with consequences for survival, education, healthcare, and recovery from trauma. It describes damage to civilian infrastructure and attacks on healthcare, and situates these harms within international legal obligations and the structural forces that sustain conflict.

Background

The article focuses on armed conflict because it engages binding duties under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including protections related to survival and development, violence, health, education, and recovery. It describes war as an upstream political determinant that disrupts the conditions needed for children to survive, develop, learn, and recover. The related article on multiple crises reports that more than 473 million children live in conflict-affected areas, while the rehabilitation article describes intertwined physical and psychological harms amid disrupted healthcare. The source also identifies climate pressures, competition over extractable resources, external involvement, and the global arms trade as factors associated with the persistence and conduct of conflict.

Data Highlights

Measure	Reported finding	Source context
Children in conflict-affected areas	More than 473 million	Related article: The Impact of Multiple Crises on Child Development and Children with Disabilities
School attacks in Gaza	590 or more attacks; 88% of facilities damaged or destroyed	Main article context
Violent incidents involving healthcare	655 incidents in 16 countries over two and a half years	ICRC Health Care in Danger study, as cited in the main article
Children living in conflict-affected areas	One in six	Related article: Children affected by armed conflict: rehabilitation as a global health responsibility

Key Findings

The article cites UNCRC Articles 6, 19, 24, 28, and 39 as establishing obligations concerning children’s survival and development, protection from violence, health, education, and recovery from trauma during conflict.
In Gaza, the article reports at least 590 school attacks and damage to or destruction of 88% of educational facilities; it also reports repeated strikes on healthcare facilities.
The article describes International Humanitarian Law principles of distinction, proportionality, humanity, and military necessity, and cites Additional Protocol I Article 58 on moving civilians and civilian objects away from military objectives wherever feasible.
The ICRC study cited in the article recorded 655 violent incidents involving healthcare in 16 countries over two and a half years, including armed incursions, attacks on ambulances, and killing or abduction of healthcare personnel; the study considered the count an underestimate because insecurity impedes documentation.
The related rehabilitation article reports that one in six children resides in a conflict-affected area and describes physical and psychological trauma occurring alongside disrupted and inadequate healthcare.
The related multiple-crises article reports that more than 473 million children currently live in conflict-affected areas and identifies conflict alongside climate change, migration, pandemics, and economic inequalities as pressures on children.

Clinical Implications

The source describes conflict-related damage to healthcare infrastructure and loss of health workers as barriers to both care and recovery, while the related rehabilitation article identifies a need for professional, evidence-informed pediatric rehabilitation in crisis settings. The supplied web research context describes trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care, integrated mental health and psychosocial support, pediatric blast-injury resuscitation guidance, and catch-up immunization as relevant clinical guidance; these recommendations are attributed to the named organizations and guidance documents in the references.

Conclusion

The article presents children’s harms in armed conflict as consequences of both direct violence and the disruption of protective systems, including education and healthcare. It links these effects to children’s rights and to legal obligations that remain applicable during conflict.