James Appleyard: 'Physicians have a duty to protect the world's children'
From a speech by the president of the World Medical Association to the International Federation of Medical Students
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Violence is a leading public health problem. As a profession, we need to have a fundamental rethink on the role we physicians can play both to mitigate the effects of the epidemic of violence and to develop strategies to prevent violence in the longer term.
The World Medical Association was founded in 1947 after the turbulence, terror and torture of the Second World War, to unite physicians worldwide in a shared mission founded on traditional Hippocratic principles. Later, after wide consultation, the Declaration of Tokyo was forged. This states that doctors shall not "countenance, condone or participate in the practice of torture or other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading procedures". More recently, the Declaration of Ottawa on the Right of a Child to Health Care encouraged physicians to "eradicate all forms of child abuse".
After the end of the Cold War, the expected "peace dividend" never materialised. Expenditure on arms decreased in the early 1990s, but the savings were not allocated to children's needs. A decade of ethnic conflict and civil wars around the world ensued, characterised by deliberate violence against children on a vast scale.
During these conflicts, children have been maimed, killed, uprooted, orphaned, exploited and sexually abused. They have been abducted and recruited as soldiers. During conflicts, a country's food production is compromised and malnutrition ensues.
As a profession we need to do more. We must also tackle the root causes of child abuse, and instil in societies non-violent means of resolving disputes.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments