Mortality in Darfur: Lessons for Humanitarian Policy

In recent years there has been considerable debate over how best to formulate reliable estimates of conflict mortality rates. However, in formulating humanitarian policy to respond to violent conflicts it is important to go beyond crude mortality rates to look at the causes and timings of deaths. This Policy Briefing presents the results of a MICROCON study on Darfur which disaggregates causes of death, and discusses the implications for humanitarian policy. The results of the study demonstrate the importance of improving sanitation and health services in displacement camps. It also provides some evidence of the human impact of shortfalls in humanitarian funding, and highlights the vital importance of consistent and adequate financial support for relief efforts.