This TED Talk features humanitarian psychologist, Allah-El Connie, recorded live at TEDx Manchester, 2016.

Worldwide, over 1.5 billion people experienced armed conflict.

In response, people are forced to flee their country, leaving over 15 million refugees.

Children, without a doubt, are the most innocent and vulnerable victims.

But not just from the obvious physical dangers,

but from the often unspoken effects that wars have on their families.

The experiences of war leave children at a real high risk

for the development of emotional and behavioral problems.

Children, as we can only imagine, will feel worried, threatened and at risk. But there is

good news. The quality of care that children receive in their families can have a more significant

effect on their well-being than from the actual experiences of war that they have been exposed to.

So actually, children can be protected by warm, secure parenting during and after conflict.

In 2011, I was a first-year PhD student in the University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences.

Like many of you here, I watched the crisis in Syria

unfold in front of me on the TV.

My family are originally from Syria,

and very early on I lost several family members in really horrifying ways.

I'd sit and I'd gather with my family and watch the TV.

So we've all seen those scenes, bombs, destroying, buildings, chaos, destruction,

and people screaming and running.

It was always the people screaming and running that really got me the most,

especially those terrified-looking children.

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