Mental Health Among Displaced People and Refugees : Making the Case for Action at the World Bank Group
The current crisis of forced displacement is posing serious humanitarian and development challenges across the world. The World Bank Group and the international community at large cannot ignore these challenges, given their scale and complexity. As...
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| Format: | Report |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/441551482228026197/Mental-health-among-displaced-people-and-refugees-making-the-case-for-action-at-the-World-Bank-Group http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25854 |
| Summary: | The current crisis of forced
displacement is posing serious humanitarian and development
challenges across the world. The World Bank Group and the
international community at large cannot ignore these
challenges, given their scale and complexity. As documented
in a recent World Bank report, about 65 million people – one
percent of the world’s population – live in forced
displacement and extreme poverty. In contrast to economic
migrants, who move in search of better opportunities, and to
persons affected by natural disasters, the forcibly
displaced are fleeing conflict and violence. Host countries
often have limited resources even before taking in refugees.
The refugee influx can quickly overwhelm existing
capacities, including health, housing, educational, and
social welfare systems and services. Inflows of displaced
people can cause social and economic challenges and
disruptions to host communities. However, refugees can also
bring skills, expertise, and labor that can benefit
communities in the longer term. The international community
can act to reduce vulnerabilities among the forcibly
displaced during a crisis and then help them rebuild their
lives. Such action can also mitigate the impact of forced
displacement on host communities and governments. This
requires action to support economic activity, job creation,
and social cohesion, as well as to strengthen and expand
essential services. Finally as an effective response to the
mental health needs of the displaced and refugees would
require strengthening partnerships between the World Bank
Group (WBG), World Health Organization (WHO), United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and other
international and national partners, such as Partners in
Health (PIH) and International Medical Corps (IMC). |
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