Trauma of a generation

CHILDREN OF WAR APPEAL

JOJO MOYES

More than 90 per cent of children living in the Bosnian city of Mostar are believed to be suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder, laying the ground for more conflict as they grow up to be "aggressive risk-takers", a conference will hear today.

Paediatricians and psychiatrists at the Children and Violence Conference at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham will examine issues including video violence, child protection and how children are affected by war.

Professor David Southall, who spent the 14 months preceding June in Mostar, is presenting evidence gathered during a Unicef/Child Advocacy International project there in which 7,352 children were treated. Child Advocacy International is one of four charities working in Bosnia who will benefit from the Independent's Christmas charity appeal. Readers have already contributed pounds 35,722, including pounds 12,747 yesterday alone.