Armed Groups and Public Health Emergencies: A Cross-Country Look at Armed Groups’ Responses to Covid-19

Abstract

In public health emergencies that take place in violent contexts, which non-state armed groups engage in public health interventions, and what do those interventions consist of? While a growing literature on rebel governance has increased our understanding of how these armed groups govern civilian populations day to day, less understood is how armed groups respond to emergencies, such as natural disasters or pandemics. In a world defined by an increasing number of unpredictable crises, it is important to understand the ways in which armed groups respond. The Covid-19 pandemic provides an unprecedented opportunity to examine how armed groups respond to crises across conflicts. Drawing upon new data from Geneva Call on armed groups’ responses to Covid-19, the article offers a descriptive analysis of the types of actions armed groups take and the characteristics of armed groups taking action.