Attacks on healthcare in conflict: generating attention in the modern information landscape

Attacks on healthcare in conflict (AHCC) is receiving increased attention as a pressing global concern from humanitarian organisations, the media, policymakers, academics, and the public. This study examines the extent to which this increased attention leads to mainstream reporting and understanding of AHCC that is representative of reality by investigating the ways that information and knowledge about the issue is produced. Based on a rapid review of documentation on AHCC since 2011, this is one of the first studies to assess the rigour, validity, and representativeness of mainstream data on AHCC. Findings indicate that information and knowledge about AHCC is molded by a particular representation of the issue created by international media and humanitarian organisations seeking to capture public and political attention. This dominant understanding is not representative of the complex reality of AHCC, but is instead driven by organisational objectives and advocacy agendas. These findings hold important implications for the above-mentioned stakeholders by exploring the complexity and impacts of documenting AHCC. Most notably, the research investigates the relationship between information and understanding about the issue and the action that it encourages.