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Panel Discussion:
The protection of healthcare in conflict zones remains a critical yet often overlooked aspect of humanitarian law and human rights. Attacks on healthcare workers, facilities, and transport disrupt life-saving services and violate International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Human Rights (HR) protections. Japan, as a global advocate for peace and human security, has played a crucial role in championing these protections, including its co-authorship of UN Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016) on the protection of healthcare in conflict.
The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initaitve of Qatar Foundation recently published the report In the Line of Fire: Protecting Health in Armed Conflict, which highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement of protections, improved documentation of violations, and enhanced accountability mechanisms to deter future attacks. With growing threats to the sustainability of key documentation initiatives—such as the WHO Surveillance System for Attacks on Healthcare (SSA) and the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition—the global community must act to ensure continued evidence collection and accountability.
This high-level panel will convene policymakers, human rights and humanitarian experts, and global health leaders to discuss strategies to reinforce the protection of healthcare in conflict settings, strengthen documentation mechanisms, and enhance accountability for perpetrators.

Exhibition:
An exhibition space highlighting Japan’s recovery after Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and it’s role in drafting UN resolution 2286, emphasizing need to protect healthcare systems in conflict zones. The exhibition will serve as a way to highlight WISH’s relevance and distribute the ‘In the Line of Fire: Protecting Health in Armed Conflict’ report.

【Reflection】
This programme was held in collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) at the Qatar Pavilion as part of the Theme Weeks of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. It was linked to the advocacy exhibition "In the Line of Fire: Protecting Healthcare in Armed Conflicts," and the panel discussion focused on the serious reality that healthcare facilities and workers are targeted in conflict zones. Under the framework of international humanitarian law, the types and impacts of attacks, as well as the difficulties in holding perpetrators accountable, were shared in detail based on field experiences and international research data.

Through cases such as the bombing of a hospital in Afghanistan and disruptions to medical activities in Sudan, the severe consequences of interrupted healthcare for patients and local communities were highlighted. Innovative approaches, including improved medical facility design, decentralisation of services, and telemedicine, were also introduced.

At the venue, experts and general visitors actively exchanged views, with many expressing that it was a valuable opportunity to learn directly about realities overseas and that they realised there were actions they themselves could take. Utilising the international platform of the Expo, the programme successfully deepened understanding and empathy for humanitarian issues among diverse audiences.


【Post EXPO Initiatives】
The networks and insights generated through this programme will serve as a driving force for future international awareness-raising activities and policy advocacy. WISH and its partner organisations will continue campaigns utilising exhibitions and video content to widely disseminate the realities of attacks on healthcare across various countries. The cases and technical approaches shared during the discussions will be further developed through international conferences and expert networks, with implementation at the field level progressing accordingly.
Within Japan, the outcomes of the Expo are expected to be leveraged in education and public relations efforts, deepening understanding among younger generations through school and community events, as well as online dissemination. Moreover, innovative technologies such as telemedicine and blast-resistant medical facilities introduced in the programme have potential applications in disaster response and international aid sectors.

Most importantly, there is a growing awareness that the protection of healthcare is not merely an issue for distant countries but a responsibility shared by all humanity. Going forward, participants and viewers are encouraged to contribute to the realisation of sustainable peace and health by engaging in familiar actions such as voting in elections, signing petitions, and sharing information, thereby influencing political and social change.