Children in Refugee Camps

One issue that has recently been  brought up when talking about refugee camps is the topic of Children within Refugee camps. Mainly whether or not it is good for a child to grow up in a refugee camp. The reasoning behind this question is that while refugee camps tend to be organized by the government of the host country, who in the government is watching after the children? Who is giving them an education, or ensuring that they are even recognized a member as members of that camp? Furthermore is it healthy for a child to grow up in a camp, both in the physical and mental sense? Disease tends to be a problem in camps as so many people live in close quarters, but more importantly can a child grow up in a confined, controlled setting and then adjust to life on the "outside" world? The mental development of a child within a camp has to be different from one that grows up in a "regular" society. Even the idea of personal space does not develop the same way in a camp, as everyone lives in close quarters. Physically a child could be easily affected by malnutrition, as despite the food provided by aid workers, there is not enough for a child to maintain all of the necessary nutrition needed to grow up healthy. A child growing up in a refugee camp creates an interesting situation as it really is a completely different setting that anywhere else of earth, yet one counter-argument may be that they might be better suited for the world as they learn how to effectively interact with people from an incredibly young age. Only time can tell how a refugee camp may effect the development of a child. 

Works Cited

Bond, Barbara H. "Are refugee camps good for children?" Journal of Humanitarian Assistance. 27 Mar. 2009 .