IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v33y2025is1p1292-1309.html

Impact of Terrorist Violence on Child Health in Burkina Faso: Unpacking Potential Mechanisms

Author

Listed:
  • Relwendé Apollinaire Nikiema
  • Wendata A. Kafando

Abstract

Understanding the mechanisms linking violent conflict to child health is critical for designing effective policies to improve the human capital outcomes of affected children, as current knowledge remains limited despite extensive research. This study investigates the effects of terrorist violence on child health in Burkina Faso, combining geolocated demographic and health survey data with information on the timing and location of terrorist attacks. By exploiting geospatial and temporal variations across birth cohorts, we measure children's exposure to terrorist violence and its impact on health outcomes. Our findings reveal that children under five in exposed clusters experience significant health setbacks compared to those in non‐exposed areas. The analysis identifies food shortages, rising food prices, and limited access to health services as key mechanisms driving these adverse effects. These results underscore the importance of addressing these pathways to mitigate the human capital consequences of violent conflict and inform sustainable development policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Relwendé Apollinaire Nikiema & Wendata A. Kafando, 2025. "Impact of Terrorist Violence on Child Health in Burkina Faso: Unpacking Potential Mechanisms," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(S1), pages 1292-1309, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:s1:p:1292-1309
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.70066
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70066
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.70066?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Brück, Tilman & d’Errico, Marco & Pietrelli, Rebecca, 2019. "The effects of violent conflict on household resilience and food security: Evidence from the 2014 Gaza conflict," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 203-223.
    2. Adong, Annet & Kornher, Lukas & Kiptoo Kirui, Oliver & von Braun, Joachim, 2021. "Conflict exposure and food consumption pathways during and after conflict: Evidence from Northern Uganda," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    3. D’Souza, Anna & Jolliffe, Dean, 2013. "Conflict, food price shocks, and food insecurity: The experience of Afghan households," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 32-47.
    4. Mansour, Hani & Rees, Daniel I., 2012. "Armed conflict and birth weight: Evidence from the al-Aqsa Intifada," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(1), pages 190-199.
    5. Chukwuma, Adanna & Ekhator-Mobayode, Uche Eseosa, 2019. "Armed conflict and maternal health care utilization: Evidence from the Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 104-112.
    6. Uche Eseosa Ekhator-Mobayode & Abraham Abebe Asfaw, 2019. "The child health effects of terrorism: evidence from the Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(6), pages 624-638, February.
    7. Thiemo Fetzer, 2020. "Can Workfare Programs Moderate Conflict? Evidence from India," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 18(6), pages 3337-3375.
    8. Wendata A. Kafando & Takeshi Sakurai, 2024. "Armed conflicts and household food insecurity: Effects and mechanisms," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 55(2), pages 313-328, March.
    9. Olga Shemyakina, 2015. "Exploring the Impact of Conflict Exposure during Formative Years on Labour Market Outcomes in Tajikistan," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 422-446, April.
    10. Tapsoba, Augustin, 2023. "The cost of fear: Impact of violence risk on child health during conflict," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Agadjanian, Victor & Prata, Ndola, 2003. "Civil war and child health: regional and ethnic dimensions of child immunization and malnutrition in Angola," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(12), pages 2515-2527, June.
    12. repec:fth:oxesaf:98-9 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Pramila Krishnan & Tesfaye Gebre Selassie & Stefan Dercon, 1998. "The urban labour market during structural adjustment: Ethiopia 1990-1997," CSAE Working Paper Series 1998-09, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    14. Akresh, Richard & Caruso, German Daniel & Thirumurthy, Harsha, 2022. "Detailed geographic information, conflict exposure, and health impacts," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    15. T. Paul Schultz, 2004. "Evidence of Returns to Schooling in Africa from Household Surveys: Monitoring and Restructuring the Market for Education," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 13(02), pages 95-148, December.
    16. Olabayo Ojeleke & Wim Groot & Isaac Bonuedi & Milena Pavlova, 2024. "The impact of armed conflicts on the nutritional status of children: Evidence from Northern Nigeria," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 502-529, March.
    17. Akresh, Richard & Lucchetti, Leonardo & Thirumurthy, Harsha, 2012. "Wars and child health: Evidence from the Eritrean–Ethiopian conflict," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(2), pages 330-340.
    18. Martin-Shields, Charles P. & Stojetz, Wolfgang, 2019. "Food security and conflict: Empirical challenges and future opportunities for research and policy making on food security and conflict," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 150-164.
    19. Minoiu, Camelia & Shemyakina, Olga N., 2014. "Armed conflict, household victimization, and child health in Côte d'Ivoire," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 237-255.
    20. Conley, T. G., 1999. "GMM estimation with cross sectional dependence," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1), pages 1-45, September.
    21. Grossman, Daniel & Khalil, Umair & Ray, Arijit, 2019. "Terrorism and early childhood health outcomes: Evidence from Pakistan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 237(C), pages 1-1.
    22. Adelaja, Adesoji & George, Justin, 2019. "Effects of conflict on agriculture: Evidence from the Boko Haram insurgency," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 184-195.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vesco, Paola & Baliki, Ghassan & Brück, Tilman & Döring, Stefan & Eriksson, Anneli & Fjelde, Hanne & Guha-Sapir, Debarati & Hall, Jonathan & Knutsen, Carl Henrik & Leis, Maxine R. & Mueller, Hannes & , 2025. "The impacts of armed conflict on human development: A review of the literature," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    2. repec:cam:camjip:2426 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Rudolfsen, Ida & Bartusevičius, Henrikas & van Leeuwen, Florian & Østby, Gudrun, 2024. "War and food insecurity in Ukraine," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    4. Kaila, Heidi & Azad, Abul, 2023. "The effects of crime and violence on food insecurity and consumption in Nigeria," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    5. Béné, Christophe & d'Hôtel, Elodie Maître & Pelloquin, Raphaël & Badaoui, Outman & Garba, Faroukou & Sankima, Jocelyne W., 2024. "Resilience – and collapse – of local food systems in conflict affected areas; reflections from Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    6. Martin-Shields, Charles P. & Stojetz, Wolfgang, 2019. "Food security and conflict: Empirical challenges and future opportunities for research and policy making on food security and conflict," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 150-164.
    7. Tapsoba, Augustin, 2023. "The cost of fear: Impact of violence risk on child health during conflict," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    8. Cyrille Dominick Bitting & Magloire Georges Sémé & Henri Ngoa Tabi, 2025. "Civil conflict and food security in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of the democracy," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 45(2), pages 678-695.
    9. Odozi, John Chiwuzulum & Oyelere, Ruth Uwaifo, 2019. "Conflict Exposure and Economic Welfare in Nigeria," GLO Discussion Paper Series 334, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    10. Justin George & Adesoji Adelaja & Dave Weatherspoon, 2020. "Armed Conflicts and Food Insecurity: Evidence from Boko Haram's Attacks," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 102(1), pages 114-131, January.
    11. Abay, Kibrom A. & Tafere, Kibrom & Berhane, Guush & Chamberlin, Jordan & Abay, Mehari H., 2023. "Near-real-time welfare and livelihood impacts of an active war: Evidence from Ethiopia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    12. Mercier, Marion & Ngenzebuke, Rama Lionel & Verwimp, Philip, 2020. "Violence exposure and poverty: Evidence from the Burundi civil war," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 822-840.
    13. Wendata A. Kafando & Takeshi Sakurai, 2024. "Armed conflicts and household food insecurity: Effects and mechanisms," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 55(2), pages 313-328, March.
    14. Kirschner, Shanna A. & Finaret, Amelia B., 2021. "Conflict and health: Building on the role of infrastructure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    15. Michele Di Maio & Valerio Leone Sciabolazza, 2021. "Conflict exposure and health: Evidence from the Gaza Strip," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(9), pages 2287-2295, September.
    16. Hönig, Tillman, 2017. "The Impact of Peace: Evidence from Nigeria," MPRA Paper 83302, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Fredah Guantai & Yoko Kijima, 2020. "Ethnic Violence and Birth Outcomes: Evidence From Exposure to the 1992 Conflict in Kenya," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 57(2), pages 423-444, April.
    18. Fadare, Olusegun & Srinivasan, Chittur & Zanello, Giacomo, 2024. "Livestock diversification mitigates the impact of farmer-herder conflicts on animal-source foods consumption in Nigeria," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    19. Abay, Kibrom A. & Tafere, Kibrom & Berhane, Guush & Chamberlin, Jordan & Abay, Mehari Hiluf, 2022. "Near-real-time welfare and livelihood impacts of an active civil war: Evidence from Ethiopia," IFPRI discussion papers 2108, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    20. Bove, Vincenzo & Di Salvatore, Jessica & Elia, Leandro & Nisticò, Roberto, 2024. "Mothers at peace: International peacebuilding and post-conflict fertility," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    21. Unfried, Kerstin & Ibañez Diaz, Marcela & Restrepo-Plazaz, Lina Maria, 2022. "Discrimination in post-conflict settings: Experimental evidence from Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:33:y:2025:i:s1:p:1292-1309. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.