Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.
More than three decades have passed, but the goal of comprehensive reparations is still out of reach for the victims whose rights were seriously and systematically deprived by the Khmer Rouge. The issue of reparations has received little attention from the government and the international community, even after the establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia for the Prosecution of Crimes Committed during the Period of Democratic Kampuchea.
Since independence Uganda has experienced different episodes of violent conflict and human rights abuses across successive political regimes. The most protracted and brutal of these conflicts was the two decade conflict in the northern Uganda between the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and the government forces, during which gross human rights violations and serious violations of international humanitarian law were perpetrated against individuals, families, and communities.
Been particularly aware of the importance of ensuring psychological support to survivors of rape and other forms of sexual violence, both immediately after the violence, if possible, and as part of a more long term reparation.
An important document called Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law affirms that states have the duty to investigate and, if there is sufficient evidence, the duty to submit to prosecution the person allegedly responsible for the violations and, if found guilty, the duty to punish her or him.
This webinar, from March, 2016 features Annie Sovcik and Marie Soueid from the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), with Tim Kelly from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and Faith Ray with the CVT National Capacity Building Program. This Measured Impact Webinar is part of a two-part training on the legal definitions of torture and how they apply to eligibility determinations for Survivors of Torture programs. This webinar concentrates on the legal frameworks of the U.S. and U.N. definitions of torture, as well as the refugee definition. It includes examples to illustrate cases that rise to the level of torture and cases that do not.
We often receive questions about using the “right” term or phrase. Here’s how we choose the language that we use.
The words “survivor” and “victim” have very different connotations. Being a “victim” implies helplessness and pity, which might not adequately describe the experiences of some people who experience sexual assault. Experiences vary from person to person, after all. However, what’s so different about the term “survivor” is that it implies that people are able to take control of their own lives. “Surviving” conveys that the person is still fighting, whether through the judicial system in order to bring justice to the perpetrator, to gain awareness for the cause, or to learn to live after experiencing an assault. A “survivor” thrives in their environment.
In the literature, the person who has experienced a severe human rights violation, is referred to as either “survivor” or as “victim”. Both terms are being used, but in some contexts one of them is usually preferred over the other. For example, advocacy and support organisations and groups – including HHRI – often use survivor. We consider survivor to be more empowering than the word victim, as it implies that the person is able to take some control in his or her life; that the person has resources and strength. In legal documents and in de judiciary the term victim is used.
Because of the abuse that survivors may have been exposed to, they may experience going through a difficult and painful time. Maybe they feel like the world seems different from how it used to be like? Maybe it is not quite the same as it was before? Maybe they find it is difficult to talk to family and friends about what happened, or maybe they do not want to talk about it to anyone? Maybe they find it difficult to be around other people?
Shelter is so much more than just a roof. It’s the foundation for life, families and communities. It is a place to feel safe after days or weeks of fear. It offers protection from harsh weather, privacy, and helps to preserve dignity. It’s a space to heal from trauma.
GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission, and disaster managers worldwide to improve alerts, information exchange, and coordination in the response phase of emergencies.
ActionAid is a global federation working for a world free from poverty and injustice.
Oxfam responds to emergencies and disasters, providing essential aid and working on long-term recovery and development projects.
We are relentless in driving change to advance children’s rights and equality for girls by working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners.
At Mercy Corps, we seek solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. To take on the consequences of conflict and climate change, we bring together bold ideas and the lived experience of people who know their communities best—scaling what works to achieve lasting, transformational change.
CARE responds to disasters and emergencies, providing humanitarian assistance and supporting long-term recovery efforts.
This organization works to protect and support children affected by disasters and emergencies worldwide.
MSF provides medical assistance during emergencies and disasters in affected regions.
UNICEF provides assistance to children and families affected by emergencies, including natural disasters and conflicts.
A traumatic event is a shocking, scary, or dangerous experience that affects someone emotionally. These situations may be natural, like a tornado or earthquake. An overview of relevant links.
The Psychosocial Centre of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies focuses on contemporary psychosocial support programs and activities, including specific projects, assessments and evaluations. New initiatives and developments in research as well as key meetings and trainings in the field of psychosocial support are also highlighted.
The HumanitarianResponse.info platform is provided to the humanitarian community by OCHA as a means to help responders coordinate their work on the ground. This site is administered by the UN Office for coordination of human affairs OCHA, and defines itself as an “independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in delivering emergency assistance”. It provides up-to-date information about the latest disasters, as well as hand-outs and guidelines. Lots of very useful links to relevant topics. Target group relief workers.
This site is administered by the UN Office for coordination of human affairs OCHA, and defines itself as an “independent vehicle of information, designed specifically to assist the international humanitarian community in delivering of emergency assistance”. It provides up-to-date information about the latest disasters, as well as hand-outs and guidelines. Lots of very useful links to relevant topics. Target group relief workers.
The Sphere Project provides “humanitarian charter and minimum standards in disaster response”. This is a great international collaboration where hundreds of national and international NGOs, UN agencies, academic institutions as well as individuals came together some years ago with the ambition to define international standards when coping with disaster, the collaboration resulting in a handbook for humanitarian responders.
This is a very central site where you can find an overview of preparedness for all hazards (with the preparation and planning of the topics, surveillance, training and education, coping with a disaster, clinicians, healthcare facilities, labs, and research) as well as how to deal with specific hazards. The last point links to hazards such as bioterrorism, mass casualties, chemical emergencies, natural disasters and severe weather, radiation emergencies, and recent outbreaks and incidents. All links again have lots of sub-topics, with quite useful fact-sheets, information, and how-to-do for professionals as well as for survivors (target group).
Disasters are stressful events that can cause substantial harm to communities and families. After a disaster, children may develop symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental health plays an important role in physical health, school performance, behavior, and long-term quality of life. Therefore, it is important to keep children physically and mentally safe during and after a disaster.
Emergencies and disasters can happen during the school day. Taking steps now can help protect the students in your care.
Very good manual (104 p.) with a description of symptoms that may occur in children after the disaster, identifying the severity of the disease, and suggestions on how to cope/treat. Detailed instructions, how-to-do step-by-step, can be used as a workshop manual. Target group: professionals/clinicians (teachers, families).
The Psychological First Aid Training Manual for Child Practitioners (PFA), aims to develop skills and competences of Save the Children staff, partners, and professionals in reducing the initial distress of children who have recently been exposed to a traumatic event.
This is the main page of NCTSN concerning Natural Disasters. It provides the most important links under this topic – earthquakes, epidemics, fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and tsunamis. Under each of these pages, you will find lots of very useful links and articles as well, with an essential description of situations, symptoms, and how-to-cope procedures.
This handbook (198 p.) presents very solid information and how-to-do about coping with disasters and their psychological effects. Focus on psychosocial support and how to organize: assessments, planning, implementation, training, and monitoring. Target group: psychosocial practitioners.
Factsheet (1 p.) ”what you can do right now to support wellbeing” – very practically how-to-do after a disaster had occurred, f.e. how to talk to survivors. Not only after Tsunamis.
his article is a “fact sheet” presenting to the target group of survivors an overview about symptoms, effects otherwise, and coping strategies.
This website under the American Psychological Association provides a good overview of the effects of disasters on people’s psyche. It gathers lots of relevant links under the topics of coping with disaster, how psychologists help, and some updated news about disaster.
This represents a short overview and consensus about best to cope with disasters, both practical topics and mentioning the necessary social support.
This section provides an overview of OCHA’s mandate, its leadership and how it is funded. It also includes a detailed section on OCHA’s flagship and thematic publications, and on the Agenda for Humanity – a plan put forward by the UN Secretary-General calling on global leaders to stand up for our common humanity and reduce humanitarian suffering.
New reports about COVID-19 are becoming more widespread and are making some people anxious. Here are some tips to help you manage your anxiety, put news reports in perspective and maintain a positive outlook. You can access the list of recommendations here.
Fear about the coronavirus has gripped the world. While nearly all cases have been in China, that has not stopped people in other countries from worrying. This new illness certainly is frightening and needs attention, but it’s important to note that far more people die from an illness that’s all too familiar — the seasonal flu. Why are we so afraid of this novel coronavirus when we are much more likely to catch the flu? Our guest, Baruch Fischhoff, PhD, is a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert on public perception of risk and human judgment and decision-making. He explains why we worry about new risks more than familiar ones, how to calm our anxiety and what are the psychological effects of being quarantined. Listen to the episode here.
Since we made the first and second edition of these guidelines, much has happened. A new update is needed. In several countries schools and kindergartens are now closed. Adults and children in these countries are taking a collective responsibility to ensure that the infection does not affect too many people at one time. This, so that our health care systems have the capacity to treat those who are most ill.
The CP AoR Help Desk is managing a dropbox folder with collected global, regional, and country-level resources for COVID-19, and this document will be a living document stored in the dropbox folder.
This note aims to provide practical support to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) practitioners to adapt GBV case management service delivery models quickly and ethically during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It does not address all aspects of a gendered analysis that are necessary to create a robust response, nor is it a definitive set of guidelines. Rather, it is designed to be a “living” document, that will continue to draw upon the expertise of the global community in this new and evolving field.
Resource page for the COVID-19 pandemic including: Case study/best practices/examples from the field (Mozambique, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, South Sudan, Myanmar). Helpdesk Products. Report/literature review/research paper. Manual and toolkit. E-learnings, podcasts, videos
We are currently responding to ongoing emergencies in multiple countries, working to keep people safe while they are on the move and displaced from their homes.
This briefing note (Version 1.5) summarizes key mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) considerations in relation to the 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
WHO and public health authorities around the world are acting to contain the COVID-19 outbreak. However, this time of crisis is generating stress in the population. These mental health considerations were developed by the WHO’s Department of Mental Health and Substance Use as messages targeting different groups to support for mental and psychosocial well-being during COVID-19 outbreak. Follow the link below.
COVID-19 has been declared a global pandemic and as it is spreading, identified vulnerabilities such as the situation of persons deprived of their liberty in prisons, administrative detention centres, immigration detention centres and drug rehabilitation centres, require a specific focus. Persons deprived of their liberty face higher vulnerabilities as the spread of the virus can expand rapidly due to the usually high concentration of persons deprived of their liberty in confined spaces and to the restricted access to hygiene and health care in some contexts. International standards highlight that states should ensure that persons in detention have access to the same standard of health care as is available in the community, and that this applies to all persons regardless of citizenship, nationality or migration status.
Persons deprived of their liberty comprise a particularly vulnerable group owing to the nature of the restrictions which are already placed upon them and their limited capacity to take precautionary measures. Within prisons and other detention settings, many of which are severely overcrowded and insanitary, there are also increasingly acute problems. The SPT gives advice on: Measures to be taken by authorities concerning all places of deprivation of liberty, including detention facilities, immigration detention, closed refugee camps, psychiatric hospitals and other medical settings. Measures to be taken by authorities in respect of those in official places of
quarantine. Measures to be taken by NPMs
Within the space of a few short weeks, Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had a profound impact on daily life, with many impositions of severe restrictions upon personal movement and personal freedoms to enable the authorities to better combat the pandemic through public health emergency measures.
The past weeks have seen some of the most developed health systems in the world struggle with their response to COVID-19. The emergence of the virus in much more vulnerable countries with fragile health systems in the Region, including Syria and Libya, is of special concern. Of equal concern are global shortages in laboratory testing kits and protective equipment for health workers, as well travel restrictions and border closures. All of these are impeding WHO’s ability to provide urgently needed technical expertise and supplies to these and other countries
Our work aims to make scientific information accessible, understandable and meaningful to all communities during emergencies so that their decisions, policies and actions are evidence-informed.
First of all, we need to be reminded of the fundamental human right to health, meaning that every human being has the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. As stated by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “the right to health means that everyone should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them, without suffering financial hardship. No one should get sick and die just because they are poor, or because they cannot access the health services they need”.
During the coronavirus outbreak, it is especially important that we are reminded of this fundamental right. Key aspects of the right to health that are particularly important during the coronavirus outbreak include:
The Network of Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) is a coalition of Chinese and international human rights non-governmental organizations. The network is dedicated to the promotion of human rights through peaceful efforts to push for democratic and rule of law reforms and to strengthen grassroots activism in China.
Front Line Defenders provides rapid and practical support to human rights defenders at risk. It maintains its headquarters in Dublin, an EU Office in Brussels, and regionally-based field staff in the Americas, Asia, Africa and the Middle East.
Support for the work of human rights defenders, their protection and the development of an enabling environment for their activities lie at the core of the Commissioner’s mandate.
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF) works to protect and promote human rights internationally through direct support to organisations working in the first line of defence for human rights.
Through our detailed research and determined campaigning, we help fight abuses of human rights worldwide. We bring torturers to justice. Change oppressive laws. And free people jailed just for voicing their opinion.
Amnesty International is a global movement of more than three million supporters, members and activists in over 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights.
This is the website of the Special Rapporteur. The Special Rapporteur acts in complete and strict independence of any State and any entity involved (civil society, companies, etc.). His mandate is to promote the Declaration on human rights defenders. This is done through cooperation and dialogue with governments, relevant stakeholders and other interested actors. His goal is to ensure that the Declaration is widely known, as well as encouraging States to implement the Declaration within their territory and their legislation.
The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders defines women human rights defenders as both female human rights defenders, and any other human rights defenders who work in the defence of women’s rights or on gender issues (A/HRC/16/44). The Declaration on Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) recognizes the important role of HRDs, including women defenders, and outlines relevant rights of all HRDs and obligations of States.