We are proud to present the Health and Human Rights Info project to you. Our aim with the information base that you are about to look into, is to make professional experiences and resources more easily accessible to health professionals working with people exposed to human rights abuses, armed conflict, forced migration etc. A wide range of important material such as guidelines, manuals, intervention programs and tools for assessment and intervention have been developed over the years. Much of this is already available on the internet, while some material has not been accessible until now. However this material represents highly valuable information in the daily work. Our hope is that through a careful editing of the material and through a process of approval by qualified health professionals, this database represents an important source of information within the field of health and human rights, and psychosocial intervention. We hope that it will serve the good purpose of inspiration and directio in a working context often characterized by strong needs, stress and lack of resources. We also hope that it can be a useful tool in training and supervising personnel active in the field.

The main focus in the database is on mental health, psychosocial work and community support and reconstruction. Information in relation to more clearly defined medical problems will have to be found elsewhere. Nevertheless, some topics, like for instance "Torture" and "Disaster", will include information regarding somatic consequenses and sequeale as well.

The database is continously updated, reviewed and developed.

The project has come about thanks to a close collaboration with "Mental Health Project" a Norwegian NGO dedicated to training and support to health professionals working within the field of human rights violations, conflict and health. Their generous financial contribution has made this project possible. Inspired by the Mental Health Project, a closer collaboration between the Reference Center of the Red Cross and ISHHR developed and in 2001 a Statement of Understanding and Collaboration between the two was signed.

We will need all the help and inspiration that we may get from colleagues in developing this work further. We hope that this info project may represent something that we have in common and that may be useful in the practical provision of health.

I will take the opportunity again to thank the donors that made this possible, and to Sigurd Kraft Gulbrandsen, Magnar Naustdalslid, Caroline Garcia-Aarsæther and Igor Leon Quilquichicon that have contributed significantly in this process.

On behalf of International Society for Health and Human Rights,

Nora Sveaass, dr. psychol.
Council Member ISHHR