Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge
OBJECTIVE: To describe how the Government of Mexico and other direct stakeholders perceive children orphaned by the drug war; to determine the current measures addressing this as a public health problem; and to compare these measures to international frameworks so that relevant recommendations can b...
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Pan American Health Organization
2014-08-01
|
Series: | Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892014000700004&lng=en&tlng=en |
id |
doaj-ec5b76e252694f94bb9d4380c6142de2 |
---|---|
record_format |
Article |
spelling |
doaj-ec5b76e252694f94bb9d4380c6142de22020-11-24T23:53:37ZengPan American Health OrganizationRevista Panamericana de Salud Pública1020-49892014-08-0136294100S1020-49892014000700004Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challengeSalvador Camacho0Olaf Horstick1Sylvia Sax2University of HeidelbergUniversity of HeidelbergUniversity of HeidelbergOBJECTIVE: To describe how the Government of Mexico and other direct stakeholders perceive children orphaned by the drug war; to determine the current measures addressing this as a public health problem; and to compare these measures to international frameworks so that relevant recommendations can be identified. METHODS: This was an exploratory, descriptive case study using qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were performed with key informants at the federal, state, and municipal government levels in Mexico, as well as non-governmental organizations, and other institutes working with orphans. Participants were identified with a purposive snowball sample. RESULTS: No official definition of "orphan" was identified; nor was there a shared perception among the key informants of what constitutes being an orphan. An official, collective definition is important because it modifies the quantity of children categorized as such within the target population. Although most of the interviewees perceive that the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) has increased in the last 6 years, they acknowledged there is no reliable data to prove it. The increase, they believe, is due not to the drug war, but to a loss of family cohesion. Stakeholders recommend improving public policies, currently identified as the most difficult barrier to overcome due to a perceived inability to modify existing laws. However, the General Law for Victims was recently passed by the Government of Mexico and addresses many of the challenges identified. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to the international frameworks, there are three major issues in Mexico's current situation: coordination among and within stakeholders; emphasis on using community solutions; and putting in place preventive programs. For two of these problems, the General Law of Victims offers solutions.http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892014000700004&lng=en&tlng=enNiño abandonadomaltrato a los niñospolíticas públicasservicios de salud del niñoconflictos armadoscomunidades vulnerablesrelaciones familiarespoblación en riesgoplanificación en salud comunitariaMéxico |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Salvador Camacho Olaf Horstick Sylvia Sax |
spellingShingle |
Salvador Camacho Olaf Horstick Sylvia Sax Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública Niño abandonado maltrato a los niños políticas públicas servicios de salud del niño conflictos armados comunidades vulnerables relaciones familiares población en riesgo planificación en salud comunitaria México |
author_facet |
Salvador Camacho Olaf Horstick Sylvia Sax |
author_sort |
Salvador Camacho |
title |
Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
title_short |
Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
title_full |
Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
title_fullStr |
Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
title_full_unstemmed |
Orphans of the Mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
title_sort |
orphans of the mexican drug war: insights on a public health challenge |
publisher |
Pan American Health Organization |
series |
Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública |
issn |
1020-4989 |
publishDate |
2014-08-01 |
description |
OBJECTIVE: To describe how the Government of Mexico and other direct stakeholders perceive children orphaned by the drug war; to determine the current measures addressing this as a public health problem; and to compare these measures to international frameworks so that relevant recommendations can be identified. METHODS: This was an exploratory, descriptive case study using qualitative methods. Semi-structured interviews were performed with key informants at the federal, state, and municipal government levels in Mexico, as well as non-governmental organizations, and other institutes working with orphans. Participants were identified with a purposive snowball sample. RESULTS: No official definition of "orphan" was identified; nor was there a shared perception among the key informants of what constitutes being an orphan. An official, collective definition is important because it modifies the quantity of children categorized as such within the target population. Although most of the interviewees perceive that the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) has increased in the last 6 years, they acknowledged there is no reliable data to prove it. The increase, they believe, is due not to the drug war, but to a loss of family cohesion. Stakeholders recommend improving public policies, currently identified as the most difficult barrier to overcome due to a perceived inability to modify existing laws. However, the General Law for Victims was recently passed by the Government of Mexico and addresses many of the challenges identified. CONCLUSIONS: When compared to the international frameworks, there are three major issues in Mexico's current situation: coordination among and within stakeholders; emphasis on using community solutions; and putting in place preventive programs. For two of these problems, the General Law of Victims offers solutions. |
topic |
Niño abandonado maltrato a los niños políticas públicas servicios de salud del niño conflictos armados comunidades vulnerables relaciones familiares población en riesgo planificación en salud comunitaria México |
url |
http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1020-49892014000700004&lng=en&tlng=en |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT salvadorcamacho orphansofthemexicandrugwarinsightsonapublichealthchallenge AT olafhorstick orphansofthemexicandrugwarinsightsonapublichealthchallenge AT sylviasax orphansofthemexicandrugwarinsightsonapublichealthchallenge |
_version_ |
1725468756732280832 |