R4HC-MENA International Policy Conference
Research for Health in Conflict in the Middle East and North Africa (R4HC-MENA) is hosting a two-day international policy conference in collaboration with the University of Cambridge.
The purpose of this event is to bring together researchers who have contributed to the Global Challenges Research Fund, R4HC-MENA project, to reflect on the lessons learned in the development of research and policy capacity strengthening in conflict-affected areas in the Middle East and North Africa.
Attendance in person is by invitation only, but anyone can register to watch the livestream.
“The R4HC Policy Conference will discuss some of the most cutting edge and critical issues for health in conflict in the Middle East with an outstanding international faculty including leading scholars, political leaders and policy-makers from the region”
Professor Richard Sullivan, King’s College London
What can we learn from the two days?
Day one will start with an enthralling keynote from the distinguished HRH Princess Dina Mired, tackling an analysis of key health and policy challenges facing people in the MENA past and present. Followed by presentations from R4HC-MENA researchers on the challenges and opportunities related to delivering healthcare in conflict-affected settings including non-communicable diseases, ecologies of war and health and political-pandemic interface.
Various regional and national realities will be explored through mental health interventions, health economics and the political economy of health, online learning, and strengthened research capacity in the MENA. Andrew Jacks from the FInancial Times will digest the days issues in a fireside chat with HRH Dina Mired, James Watt CVO and Richard Sullivan
The day will culminate with a panel discussion of leading policy practitioners and journalists on the future of the region. Our new film ‘Lebanon: How politics made a nation sick’ will be launched, providing context to regional issues. We are delighted to have Rima Maktabi, London Bureau Chief, Al Arabiya News Channel to host and chair the panel discussion.
Day two works towards the exploration of the ‘R4HC model’ for health research in conflict and humanitarian contexts - building sustainability into our network. This will be led by James Watt (International Advisory Board Chair) and Brad Robinson, Head of Operations, King’s College London, to focus on how to translate our knowledge into policy actions. Partner projects, Research for Health Systems Strengthening in northwest Syria (R4HSSS) and Women Leaders in Health and Conflict, boast an instrumental panel discussion into strengthening health research in conflict through real world interventions and solutions for building capacity: support leadership in global health, as well as a roundtable discussion led by the Asfari Foundation on how we translate our academic knowledge into practice, introduced by a diverse collective of backgrounds in both academia and not-profit-organisations.
A series of stimulating closed policy briefing sessions rounds off the day, facilitated by the Centre for Science and Policy (CSAP) covering key policy areas and new projects; 1. Building and sustaining an academic and policy network: Health and security and pandemic preparedness, 2. Knowledge translation for on-the-ground civil society organisations.
The full agenda is available to download.
About the project
The R4HC-MENA project is a collaborative multi-centre research initiative that aims to address the healthcare challenges faced by populations affected by conflict. Through its interdisciplinary approach, the project has facilitated the development of a new network of practice that is developing policies and systems related to health.
