COUNTRIES: Colombia, Ecuador
FIELD OF INTERVENTION: Human Rights
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:
The project aims to provide support, assistance and psychosocial treatment, in a rehabilitation perspective, to the victims of tortures and political violence resulting from the internal armed conflict in Colombia, in order to alleviate the traumatic effects and to ensure their full reintegration into society, thereby contributing to the strengthening of social networks and cohesion. The action takes place in the regions of Arauca, Cauca, North Santander, Catatumbo, Nariño, Bogotá (Colombia) and Esmeraldas province, in Rioverde, Eloy Alfaro and San Lorenzo cantons (Ecuador border area), and it is based on the strengthening of CAPS (lead applicant), on a training program for a network of psychosocial operators and on the involvement of local communities. The care provided to those specific sociocultural conditions of the beneficiaries and recipients of the project is guaranteed by a holistic and bioenergetics support strategy.
OBJECTIVES: ● Implementing activities of prevention, awareness-raising, support and rehabilitation for the victims of torture and violence, aiming at their full reintegration into society, with the improvement of the quality of life. ● Organizing training programs related to psychosocial support, allowing representatives of local communities to replicate its offer on the territory. ● Implementing an awareness-raising action which promotes the understanding of the necessity to carry out preventing actions against violence and which supports, before the national authorities, the recognition of the victims as legal subjects, as well as the fight against impunity: thus, it will contribute to the reconstruction of the social fabric and, in general, to the strengthening of democracy and defense of human rights.
ACTIVITIES:
- Organization of medical examinations, psychological consultations and individual, family and/or group psychotherapy sessions and psychosocial support and accompaniment for the victims of torture in places or situations which could bring back to mind the abuses they have suffered.
- Training of psychosocial operators, selected from among the representatives of the organizations and local beneficiaries targeted by the project.
- Screening of legal cases and assistance to the victims and their family members in the judicial process.
- Awareness-raising campaign aimed at preventing torture and violence.
- Strengthening CAPS international networks for the provision of psychosocial support to the victims.
RESULTS:
- Organized and provided rehabilitation and psychosocial accompaniment services to victims of torture.
- Trained local psychosocial operators to replicate psychosocial support experiences on the territory.
- Provided legal counseling and assistance to victims of physical/psychological torture, at the individual, family and/or community levels.
- Carried out awareness campaign with regard to torture and violence, through meetings, seminars and conferences directed to civil society.
- Strengthened CAPS links through the access to international networks supporting the victims and through the sharing of experiences with international centers for psychosocial support.
- Editing of newsletters, reports and dispatches containing information regarding the project, torture, psychosocial support and testimonies of the beneficiaries.
DONOR: European Commission – EIDHR (European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights)
TIME PERIOD/DURATION: 2013 – 2016 (36 months)
PARTNERSHIP: Lead applicant: CAPS (Corporación Centro de Atención Psicosocial). Partners: Progetto Sud, Asociación para la Promoción Social Alternativa – MINGA.
