2017 Best Practice Prize – War Child

Worldwide, millions of children live in nations affected by war. During conflict, children’s rights are violated on a massive scale; their rights to be protected from violence, to live in dignity and be supported to develop to their full potential. Children exposed to war are vulnerable to increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and externalizing behaviors. As consequence, children can lose their confidence, their trust in others, and their trust in the future.
War Child is an organisation that works exclusively to improve the lives of children affected by conflict. Its programs support children to regain their confidence and build positive relationships with their peers, families and wider communities. With a positive outlook, children can shape their own futures and contribute to a peaceful future for their communities.

Increasing resilience and improving compassion

War Child’s ultimate desired impact is that children grow up in peace, free from fear and violence. While each intervention has specific goals, War Child’s overall care system aims to contribute to building emotional resilience and fostering psychosocial well-being in children. This leads to better relationships and improved compassion with peers, family and the wider community.

With the Klaus J. Jacobs Best Practice Prize money, War Child will rigorously test and evaluate its programs to produce evidence-based interventions, which can be scaled up and replicated by other organizations.