Not Immune: Children in Conflict

The changing nature of war is making children harder to reach. Traditional ways of reaching and vaccinating children are no longer fit for purpose; and it is increasingly necessary to find innovative ways to immunise children in conflict. Compounding all this, as we write, the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking its havoc on the world. As health workers scramble to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and support those infected, there is enormous risk that essential health services for other infectious diseases such as cholera, measles and Ebola are being disrupted or diverted, and that hard-won gains in vaccination coverage will be undone. This makes our work and our recommendations even more pressing.

The goal of this report is to shine a spotlight on the important issue of immunising children affected by conflict and to ensure vaccine investments, policies and actions address the needs of these children. The report draws on evidence from published literature; and on the insights of vaccination experts who work on the ground with Save the Children to deliver vaccinations to children in conflict zones.

While there are many areas that require further study, there are also many bright spots and accomplishments from which we can learn. With Gavi and WHO having introduced global immunisation agendas for the next decade, now is the time to work together with governments and humanitarian response partners in a strategic and coordinated manner to ensure we reach children in conflict.