Health and Migration Challenges for Forced Migrants

Dear Colleagues,

The number of forcibly displaced people globally is continually on the rise due to war, political instability, climate change, persecution, and human rights violations. Events that occur before, during, and after forced displacement expose migrants to risky conditions that trigger or exacerbate underlying health issues and cause new ones for people on the move. While forced migrants flee to new destinations with hopes of safety and the possibility of a good/productive life, many end up facing new challenges and find themselves in worse circumstances. Ensuring health and well-being for everyone (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3)) not only fulfills human rights for displaced people but is also a public health good, because it promotes inclusive and thriving communities.

This Special Issue aims to contribute to the discourse on the nexus of health and forced migration. It invites submissions involving interdisciplinary research methods and practices focusing on (but not limited to) health needs and barriers to healthcare access for forced migrants during or after displacement, the impact of migration on the mental health of forced migrants, and wider factors impacting diagnosis and care, the effect of immigration policy/governance on the health of forced migrants, rights-based approaches to the health and dignity of forced migrants, health disparities and inequities between forced migrants and general populations, the impact of forced migration on public health systems in host communities/countries, strategies for protecting and promoting the health of forced migrants, approaches for enhancing/improving access to healthcare services among displaced people, mental health services and interventions for forced migrants, sexual and reproductive health services for forced migrants, and case studies of effective practices for forced migrants.

Please submit your proposals and any questions to Guest Editors by 31 October 2024. Notification of acceptance will be provided by 15 November 2024. Final papers are due on 28 February 2025 for peer review.

Dr. Hadijah Mwenyango
Dr. Sonja Novak-Zezula
Dr. Ursula Trummer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• forced migration
• forced displacement
• migrant health
• refugees
• asylum seekers
• internally displaced people
• health challenges
• health services
• human rights
• practice