Background: Human rights violation constitutes a widespread and serious public health problem in all parts of the world. Collective violence in its multiple forms plays a crucial role in societies experiencing chronic political tensions or sudden disruption and breakdown. All forms of collective violence have damaging effects on the physical, psychological and social well-being of the individual and the community at all levels, whether local, regional or national. Political and other organized violence is the most common form of collective violence in the complex emergency and often remains endemic in the post-conflict settings[1]. Data on all forms of collective violence, in particular political and organized violence, are extremely challenging to collect in the countries under repressive regimes or civil war. Governments or non-state armed groups generally do their best to hide violence done by their agents. The vulnerable populations normally lack the means to address their victimization effectively. Very often the victims are cut off from systems of support and social networks. Local health workers and human rights advocates often face life-threatening danger if they try to assess or report the magnitude of human rights violations and violence in the countries in which have no secure rule of law to protect them[2-4]. A current example is associated with the Arab uprisings in 2011, which were unexpected to the world, as they occurred in fairly stable economies with a growing middle class. While most of humanitarian efforts and public health research target on infectious diseases and nutrition problems in the south, the fact that human rights violation and violence against civilians is massive in the complex situation has attracted less attention. The consequences for the health and well-being of the populations exposed are profound. All in all, the size of populations and population groups in the world suffering from violence-attributable injury and trauma-related mental disorders is unknown. Public health researchers and health workers are however increasingly confronted with some of the most pressing public health and human rights issues in the countries under repressive regimes or in the areas affected by armed conflicts. Moreover, for decades, they have contributed relatively little to assess, to report and to handle this important public health issue. Proposal: The Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT), Copenhagen proposes a workshop theme of Armed Conflict, Human Rights Violations and Health Impact at the 13th WFPHA conference. Objectives: The first aim is to raise the awareness of emerging public health and human rights issues in the complex situation. Our guest speakers are at the forefront of developing practical and effective responses to these challenges through the innovative application of human rights concepts and methods in public health research, intervention and capacity building. We also aim to bring together health professionals, human rights advocates and social workers who assist individuals, local institutions and communities in their fight against violence and human rights violations, and share knowledge on how to help the individuals and local communities to overcome their traumatic experiences. Reference: 1. International Labour Organization, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Health Organization: CBR: a strategy for rehabilitation, equalization of opportunities, poverty reduction and social inclusion of people with disabilities: joined position paper. Geneva; 2004:31. 2. Geiger HJ, Cook-Deegan RM: The role of physicians in conflicts and humanitarian crises. Case studies from the field missions of Physicians for Human Rights, 1988 to 1993. Jama 1993, 270(5):616-620. 3. Brennan RJ, Nandy R: Complex humanitarian emergencies: a major global health challenge. Emerg Med (Fremantle) 2001, 13(2):147-156. 4. Zwi A, Ugalde A: Towards an epidemiology of political violence in the Third World. Soc Sci Med 1989, 28(7):633-642.