Medact

Professor Corinna Hawkes provides a broad global perspective on the central challenges for food systems, as an opening to the Food stream of the conference.

Annie Quick, lead for Wellbeing and Inequality at the New Economics Foundation, outlines some of the issues around inequality and the environment in the UK, considers the political context, and attempts to offer a hope for the future.

Dr Lisa Page considers how we can conduct robust epidemiological research on how rising heat affects mental health. From the session "Climate Change & Mental Health" at Medact's 2016 Forum "Healthy Planet, Better World". Find out more at https://www.medact.org/forum-2016

Hugh Grant-Peterkin considers how psychotherapeutic thinking can help us understand our response to climate change; and opens up the session to a group discussion. From the session "Climate Change & Mental Health" at Medact's 2016 Forum "Healthy Planet, Better World". Find out more at https://www.medact.org/forum-2016

Sally Weintrobe discusses the relationship between mental health, climate change, and a culture of uncare, arguing that climate change is a symptom of a much deeper problem affecting mental health. From the session "Climate Change & Mental Health" at Medact's 2016 Forum "Healthy Planet, Better World". Find out more at http://www.sallyweintrobe.com/ and https://www.medact.org/forum-2016/

Patrick Saunders speaking at Medact's Fracking Masterclass on the potential risks to human health.

Joanne Hawkins speaking at Medact's Fracking Masterclass in Sheffield on Regulation.

David McCoy speaking at Medact's Fracking Masterclass in Sheffield on fracking's impacts on health.

The Humanitarian Imperative to Ban Nuclear Weapons Find out how the international Humanitarian Initiative on nuclear weapons is creating an urgent argument for change by focusing attention on the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental impact of these WMDs. Including the 2015 launch of nuclear weapons divestment report ‘Don’t Bank on the Bomb’ by Netherlands-based NGO PAX. SPEAKERS: Monika Zach (Austrian Embassy, London), Dr Beyza Unal (Chatham House), Rebecca Sharkey (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons), Wilbert van der Zeijden (PAX) and Maaike Beenes (PAX). Chaired by Dr Frank Boulton (Medact).

A critical look at the culture of nuclear weapons in the UK, and how mainstream narratives of nuclear deterrence can and must be challenged. SPEAKERS: Kate Hudson (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament), Paul Ingram (British American Security Information Service) and Richard Norton-Taylor (The Guardian). Chaired by Dr David McCoy (Medact).

This second session will look at what practical action we can take to challenge gender norms that fuel violence and inequality. Activists from The Great Initiative will lead participants through workshop exercises they run in schools in the UK, using innovative techniques to promote critical reflection on gender and violence. Attendees will be encouraged to think about gender stereotypes and how these shape their own identities and behaviours. The session will then look at how similar approaches are being applied in countries experiencing or emerging from violent conflict, and why challenging ideas about masculinity and femininity is a vital element of peace activism. SPEAKERS: David Brockway (The Great Initiative) - with extra facilitation from volunteers from the Great Initiative, Hannah Wright (Gender, Peace and Security Advisor, Saferworld) and Julie Brethfeld (Conflict and Security Advisor, Saferworld).

Women are often portrayed as helpless victims in war, while men are often assumed to be combatants because of their gender. The reality of today’s conflicts is much more complex, with men being more likely to suffer violent deaths, and women playing all kinds of roles, from soldier to peacemaker. Nonetheless, the use of violence around the world is profoundly shaped by social norms relating to gender. This session will explore how gender, militarisation and war are connected, including how notions of masculinity in the British military have fuelled violence against local populations in Iraq and Afghanistan, harassment and abuse within the ranks, and mental health problems for troops themselves. SPEAKERS: Hannah Wright (Gender, Peace and Security Advisor, Saferworld), Julie Brethfeld (Conflict and Security Advisor, Saferworld), and Dr Julia Welland (University of Warwick).

The effects of war on people and the planet can last for many decades, if not longer. From psychological trauma to unexploded ordinance, the damage done by armed conflict lives on well after the fighting has ended. In this session, learn about different aspects of the legacy of armed conflict from experts researching different post-conflict issues. Researchers face considerable difficulty in comprehensively documenting the long-term impacts of war; this session will end by exploring how ‘Citizen Science’ might be able to help fill the research gap. SPEAKERS: Dr Maria Kett (Leonard Cheshire Centre for Disability), Dr Mina Fazel (Psychiatry, Oxford University) Professor Muki Haklay (Participatory Data & Citizen Science, University College London) and Doug Weir (Toxic Remnants of War Project).

Humanitarian law is clear in protecting nurses, doctors and others in their work to save human life and prevent suffering during war and armed conflict, yet these rules are routinely ignored and health professionals are increasingly at risk. Health communities around the world need to promote and uphold these laws, as well as the organisations and institutions that exist to safeguard them. In this session, hear from a range of speakers with different experiences of working in the humanitarian sector about the challenges and dangers of providing health care on the front-line, as well as how humanitarian organisations can speak out in the public domain on these issues. SPEAKERS: Fikr Shalltoot (Gaza Medical Director, Medical Aid for Palestinians UK), Olivia Blanchard (‘Medical Care Under Fire’ Project, MSF), and Dr Stuart Gordon (London School of Economics). Chaired by Fawzia Gibson-Fall (Kings College London).

A prohibitionist approach to global drug policy, broadly known as the ‘War on Drugs’, has dominated since the mid-20th Century, seeking to prevent the production, trafficking and use of illicit drugs. These policies have failed to achieve their goals whilst fuelling violence and conflict, undermining stability and economic development, destroying livelihoods and preventing access to healthcare and essential medicines. This session examines the creation of a ‘War on Drugs’ through the securitisation and militarisation of drug policy; the scale of violence and damage associated with the ‘War on Drugs’ and its impacts for the most marginalised communities; and potential alternatives and important advocacy opportunities in 2016. SPEAKERS: Martin Drewry (Director, Health Poverty Action), Danny Kushlick (Director, Transform Drug Policy Foundation) and Jamie Bridge (Senior Policy and Operations Manager, International Drug Policy Consortium). Chaired by Natasha Horsfield (Advocacy Officer, Health Poverty Action).

Join three expert speakers for a high octane trip through climate change, global security, refugees, and, those pesky fossil fuels. If you attend this session, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to share the name of one piece of music that you’d like to leave for future generations. None of us know how long we have to tread this blue green planet, and we’d all like to leave our mark, wouldn’t we? In return for your gift, our panel of climate security experts and musicians will select a virtual ‘Desert Island Disks for the Climate’. Do join us, bring an open mind and open heart, to learn more about the complex inter-relations between instability, armed conflict and climate change. On the road to Paris and COP21, help to shape the debate. SPEAKERS: Devin Bowles (Australian National University), Janani Vivekananda (Climate Change & Security - International Alert), Frances MacGuire (Medact), with a musical from Tim Hollo and Ilana Cravitz.

In its 2014-15 ‘Human Rights and Democracy Report’, the UK government identified 28 countries of concern. In 2014, the UK approved arms export licences to 18 of those countries - including Israel, Libya, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Despite its well documented repression and human rights abuses, Saudi Arabia has been a priority market for UK arms sales for over 30 years. Join campaigners to learn more about the role and scale of the global arms trade in fuelling war and armed conflict, and the particular role of the UK government and UK-based companies. SPEAKERS: Sarah Waldron (Campaigns Coordinator, CAAT), Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei (Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy), Andrew Feinstein (Author, The Shadow World) and Kat Hobbs (Outreach Coordinator, CAAT). Introduced and Chaired by John Chisholm (Chair, British Medical Association Ethics Committee).

Join Paul, Martin and Ellie for an introduction to the global arms trade ahead of the key-note address from Andrew Feinstein. Paul will start the session with ‘Arms Trade Family Fortunes’, an interactive quiz on the basic facts around the international transfer of weapons. Martin will discuss the impact of irresponsible and illicit arms transfers on communities across the globe, then Elli will give an overview of regional and international efforts to better control flows of arms. with a particular focus on the Arms Trade Treaty. SPEAKERS: Martin Butcher (Arms and Conflict Policy Advisor, Oxfam International), Dr Paul Holtom (Deputy Director, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University; former Senior Researcher, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) and Elli Kytomaki (Associate Fellow, International Security, Chatham House).

Join expert speakers to learn about the changing nature of weapons and warfare: from remote fighting and drones, to robotics and cyber warfare. Speakers will explore the evolution of US, UK and French war-fighting capacities and postures, especially in the context of the War on Terror in Africa and the Middle East, as well as the ethical, transparency and accountability issues that this brings. SPEAKERS: Richard Reeve (Director, Sustainable Security Programme, ORG), Paul Rogers (University of Bradford; ORG/Remote Control Project), Caroline Donnellan (Remote Control Project) and Andrew Noakes (Nigeria Security Network). Chaired by Fiona Godlee (Editor, British Medical Journal).

War is always bad for health, but over the past century widely-held international norms have developed that chemical and biological weapons are not legitimate weapons of war. And yet the threat posed by these weapons has not gone away. Join these expert speakers to learn about key contemporary issues surrounding biological and chemical weapons: the current state of knowledge on their production and possible use (including by potential bioterrorists or by ‘rogue states’); what current scientific advances mean for the future of such weapons; and how the arms control treaties that outlaw them can be strengthened and more effectively enforced. SPEAKERS: Dr Christian Enemark (Aberystwyth University), Timothy Stafford (Research Fellow, Royal United Services Institute) and Simon Rushton (University of Sheffield).