VaxxPax: a dataset of vaccination ceasefires

The VaxxPax Vaccination Ceasefires Dataset is an original dataset of 74 vaccination ceasefires, covering all instances of such events reported in the media and by NGOs across the world from 1985 to 2018. The data consist of cases where a cessation of hostilities was agreed during a conflict for the purpose of, in part or in full, conducting a vaccination campaign or similarly addressing a public health need. Each event in the dataset is thus accounting for a combination of a vaccination campaign and ceasefire agreed to support it. The dataset includes cases where the cessation of hostilities was limited in terms of its duration as well as cases where it was limited in terms of its geographical scope. Our data do not include, however, cases where the health need to be addressed directly relates to the harms associated with conflict, nor those agreements relating to the broader range of activities associated with humanitarian protection or relief. Each case of ceasefire is recorded separately, such that, for example, ceasefires that took place on non-contiguous dates in connection with the same vaccination campaign are counted as distinct events. For each recorded vaccination campaign and ceasefire event, the dataset provides a best estimate of start and end dates of the ceasefire and related vaccination campaign, country in which they are implemented, conflict in which the ceasefire is agreed, illnesses for which vaccination treatment is being provided, target populations of the vaccination, and organisations involved in the vaccination campaign.