Mental health assistance and psychosocial rehabilitation for refugees and asylum seekers in Agadez

The project’s general objective is to promote mental health and psychosocial wellness of refugees and asylum seekers in Agadez region.

In March 2019, MEDU started a project in partnership with UNHCR to provide mental health assistance to the migrants living in Agadez’ reception centers.

The project’s main objective is to guarantee healthcare assistance to torture, SGBV (Sexual and Gender-Based Violence) and intentional violence survivors in Agadez region, and to train staff of local mental health services.

Intervention
The MEDU medical-psychological team will implement the following activities:

• early detection of torture and intentional violence survivors, psychological and medical care of the identified cases with a focus on SGBV cases,
• psychosocial activities for rehabilitation,
• training program to strengthen the capacities of local teams and mental health services operators,
• testimony collection and dissemination.

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. For years, it was a transiting land of the migratory routes towards Europe. In particular, Agadez region was a compulsory stop for the majority of the Sub-Saharan migrants who, crossing Libya, tried to reach Italy’s shores. With the recent changes in migration policy, Niger became a cul-de-sac for migrants. Indeed, the borders’ regulations with Libya are everyday stricter due to the 2015 Niger government law on illegal migration, causing a dramatic reduction of the migratory flows to Libya. Thus, Niger became a sort of “southern border of Europe”, even with the still incoming migratory flows. According to IOM, in 2016 around 334 thousand people crossed the Libyan and Algerian border, while in 2018 only 43 thousand. At the moment, 175 thousand forced migrants are present in Niger (UNHCR, February 2019). This mixed migration includes over 1,600 people (mostly Sudanese, of whom over 400 are minors), who fled mainly from Libya and live now in difficult conditions in Agadez.
From the stories collected by MEDU team in the Agadez refugee camps, most of the people coming from Sudan, both children and adults, have suffered violence, torture and very serious abuse both in the detention camps in Libya and in the country of origin.

Project summary

Project name

Mental health assistance and psychosocial rehabilitation for refugees and asylum seekers in Agadez

Intervention

Mental health and psychosocial assistance for refugees and asylum seekers

Beneficiaries

About 1,600 refugees and asylum seekers, SGBV, torture and intentional violence victims living in Agadez’ refugee centers.

Intervention area

Agadez (Niger)

Periodo

2019 – ongoing

Co-funded by

UNHCR Niger

Become a volunteer

email Teresa Leone, international projects’ coordinator internazionale@mediciperidirittiumani.org

Activity

Eapply to become a volunteer helping the international projects Desk in Italy

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