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The Impact of Conflict from Childhood to Adulthood Evidence for the Arab Region: Trends and Impacts in Conflict Settings Issue No. 5

Symbol: 
E/ESCWA/ECRI/2017/2
Issued in: 
2020

While the economic and political costs of conflicts are well covered by the literature, their repercussions on human development have not yet been sufficiently discussed. Conflict is a particularly intense type of shock that affects individuals in all aspects and stages of their lives. This study puts the individual at the centre of the analysis to understand how recent conflicts in the Arab region have impacted human development.

By concentrating on the effects of conflict on several critical periods of life, the study provides evidence of the effects of conflict exposure in infancy, early childhood, childhood and the transitions into adulthood. As human development is fundamentally linked to economic development, understanding the main channels through which conflict harms individuals in the different stages of life is essential to support economic recovery efforts and economic development in the Arab region. The results of this study show the complex ways in which armed conflict affect human development and the challenges that countries undergoing conflicts will face to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.