Breaking the cycle of conflict

In the last decade alone an estimated two million children have been killed, four million disabled and 20 million forced from their homes by war (source: Save the Children). Few communities in the world remain untouched by conflict, and many lives have been shattered by ongoing cycles of violence and despair. Many children are deprived of education, nurture and the opportunity to play a full part in their communities by the conflict created by grinding poverty.

Individuals recover from the experience of conflict in their own way. Most people move through the difficult side effects such as sleeplessness, flashbacks and emotional disturbances to a stage of resolution where they can continue their lives in a healthy way. But for some the response to trauma becomes self-destructive instead of healing with long lasting effects such as panic attacks, emotional numbing, or depression. Sometimes individuals and the community are left harbouring resentment and anger against those who have wounded them, creating a situation where it is easy for conflict to reignite.

These damaging responses to conflict are more likely where there is repeated conflict without time for recovery, little or no supportive network or when it is hard for the person to make sense of what has happened, perhaps because they are young. Recovery can be helped by having an opportunity to vent feelings and verbalise painful memories and experiences and a safe place to think through what has happened and to make realistic decisions about how to live in the future.