Hello! Sorry for no new posts lately. I would like to share what I have been working on with regards to my personal research and how it will, hopefully contribute to the public health. I thought that there is no better way to increase my knowledge other than to do a project or specialized research.

The topic of my current research is “How does exposure to war affect children’s physical and mental health, and what strategies can be implemented to protect them.” I decided to select this topic because one day I would like to be a part of the military service, health field, and public health policymaking. War, and everything associated with it, brings unimaginable harm and sufferings for the civilian population. As mentioned by the United Nations Human Rights Court, civilian deaths in conflicts surged 40% globally in 2024, and every 12 minutes a civilian dies in armed conflict today. Violence against children and women in armed conflicts has been devastating over the last two years. Between 2023 and 2024, approximately four times more children and women were killed in armed conflicts, as compared with 2021-2022. By conducting this research, I would like to learn more about how the civilian population and especially children are affected by war, but mostly how they could be protected from war and armed conflicts. War inflicted traumas can’t be ignored, as many victims carry this physiological trauma for the duration of their lifetime, and even pass it on to the next generation. It is imperative that we protect the civilian population, minimize effects of the war related traumas, and have policies and regulations in place to ensure a proper rehabilitation process.  Not a single child, or anyone for that matter, should ever experience war.

To broaden my understanding of this topic and public health, I have also joined the American Red Cross and become a Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Advocate. In the course I took at one of the Red Cross offices, we learned about war crimes, the effects of war, the press in terms of war and more. The other junior volunteers were extremely nice and welcoming. Upon completion of the course, I officially became a IHL advocate.  As IHL advocate, I am responsible for educating the public and spreading awareness on the effects of war. The American Red Cross is one of the biggest humanitarian public health organizations in the world. They continuously respond and provide assistance to civilian populations during and after war conflicts all over the world. I hope I can learn a lot from my fellow Red Cross volunteers and the organization as a whole.

I also would like to mention that I have another original research in the works, which I hope to complete by the end of the school year. My next project will be very “close to home”, and I will explore how my peers see public health in our local community. I hope my research will be helpful for the public health community in the future. Please check my website’s research tab for future updates.