Children’s Health: A Path to Peace
Dear Fields of Peace community,
"Every child deserves a chance to grow up healthy, with time to play, learn, and sleep," declares the World Health Organization (WHO). Yet, in Gaza, where children face a genocide, this fundamental right is systematically denied. In Sudan, while the context differs, children also suffer from severe malnutrition and deprivation. Both crises expose the tragic failures of global systems that prioritize war and the military-industrial complex over the health and future of our children.
In Gaza, this starvation is engineered—a deliberate act of deprivation by an occupying power, Israel, that restricts access to food, water, and electricity. In Sudan, the situation is driven by underfunding and conflict, with the country’s breadbasket regions turned into battlefields, disrupting food systems and leaving millions of children at risk of malnutrition.
The Deliberate Destruction in Gaza
In Gaza, children are not merely collateral damage—they are targets in a systematic campaign of deprivation. Dr. Mads Gilbert, a physician who has worked extensively in Gaza, describes the situation as a "triangle of death" where starvation, lack of water, and infectious diseases pose the greatest threats. This is not a consequence of natural disaster or economic collapse; it is a deliberate policy. The blockade, imposed by Israel, restricts access to food, clean water, and medical supplies, creating conditions that amount to collective punishment.
Adding to this already dire situation, the Director General of primary health care in Gaza, Dr. Mousa Abed, has warned that the spread of polio could claim even more lives than the ongoing Israeli aggression. After 25 years of being polio-free due to regular vaccinations, Gaza is now facing the resurgence of this deadly virus, detected in sewage water in cities like Deir Al-Balah and Khan Yunis. The convergence of risk factors—famine, lack of nutritious food, and weakened immunity—has created a fertile environment for diseases to spread. Dr. Abed declared Gaza an epidemic area, warning that the return of polio, along with other potential outbreaks, heralds a real disaster.
Dr. Tanya, a pediatric intensive care specialist, bears witness to the unimaginable suffering: "I have held the hand of children who are taking their last gasps because their entire family was killed in the same attack and couldn't be there holding their hand in comforting them and could not bury them thereafter. For the children who I treated who were discharged, they faced a Russian roulette of 100 ways that they will likely and potentially die when they leave the hospital—direct bombing, starvation, dehydration, disease."
These words cut through the statistics and bring home the brutal reality of what is happening in Gaza. The WHO's constitution states that "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition." Yet, in Gaza, this right is systematically denied—not because of a lack of resources, but due to a calculated effort to deny them basic human needs.
Despite the severity of the situation, there are glimmers of hope. The compassionate efforts of doctors, like Dr. Gilbert and Dr. Tanya, who go above and beyond to ease the suffering of Gaza’s children, are a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. These healthcare professionals work tirelessly, often in impossible circumstances, to provide care, comfort, and a sense of dignity to the children caught in this conflict. Their dedication is a beacon of hope amidst the darkness, a reminder that even in the worst situations, there are those who refuse to give up on life and humanity.
A Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
In Sudan, the situation is different but equally devastating. The country has one of the highest rates of malnutrition among children in the world, with nearly 730,000 children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition. According to Save the Children, 16.4 million children, or three in every four children in Sudan, now face "crisis," "emergency," or "catastrophe" levels of hunger. The reasons for this are complex, rooted in 14 months of devastating conflict, the disruption of food systems, and a woefully underfunded humanitarian response.
Sudan's children are victims of a collapsed state where conflict, poverty, and systemic neglect have combined to create one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. While their suffering is not the result of a targeted campaign like in Gaza, it is nonetheless a profound violation of their rights. The lack of access to basic health services, clean water, and education leaves millions of children vulnerable, and without urgent action, the consequences will be dire.
However, amid the crisis, the resilience of Sudan's children is nothing short of inspiring. Despite the hunger, displacement, and violence, these children hold on to a love for life that defies the bleakness of their circumstances. Their resilience is a powerful reminder that hope can survive even in the most challenging environments. It is this resilience that calls us, as the global community, to act—not just out of a sense of duty, but out of respect for the strength and courage these children demonstrate every day.
A Call for Global Responsibility
The WHO constitution emphasizes that "the health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent on the fullest cooperation of individuals and States." While the international community has often failed to act decisively in both Gaza and Sudan, the nature of the failures differs. In Gaza, there is a need for urgent political intervention to stop what many see as a genocide. In Sudan, the crisis requires a concerted effort to rebuild a nation and address the systemic issues that have left children vulnerable.
Dr. Tanya's words resonate not only in Gaza but also in Sudan, where the international community's failure to provide adequate support has left millions of children at risk: "As the US continues to fund this military campaign unconditionally and somewhat blindly, in stark contrast to documented realities on the ground, in stark contrast to the findings of the International Court of Justice of plausible genocide, and in stark contrast to the universal global condemnation of humanitarian and human rights organizations, we have no choice but to exert as much pressure as possible and use all the leverage we can. To change the direction that this country is taking."
We must shift our global priorities away from war and the military-industrial complex and toward investing in the future of all children. They are the future of peace, and by starving and harming them, we are not just failing them—we are failing ourselves and our future. As adults, we must learn, educate, and advocate for their health, future, and peace. The responsibility is ours, and history will judge us by how we choose to act—or not act—on their behalf.
A Moral Imperative
Nelson Mandela once said, "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way it treats its children." In Gaza, the treatment of children reveals the depths of inhumanity that can be reached when power is unchecked and rights are disregarded. In Sudan, the crisis reveals the consequences of neglect and the global community's failure to uphold its responsibilities.
The WHO constitution rightly asserts that "the achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all." The extension of medical, psychological, and related knowledge to the children of Gaza and Sudan is not just a humanitarian necessity—it is a crucial step towards a more just and peaceful world.
The time for action is now. The children of Gaza and Sudan deserve more than survival—they deserve a future filled with health, peace, and dignity. But achieving this future requires recognizing the unique and complex challenges each region faces and addressing them with the urgency and specificity they demand.
Be the voice for our children's peace.
Reem Ghunaim
Executive Director
