ON.TO. Stopping the torture of refugees from Sub-Saharan countries along the migratory route to Northern Africa
Everything begins with the sad, lost, scared eyes of the torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment (CIDT) survivors. During their journey towards Europe across the desert and Libya, the migrants are victims of smugglers, gangs, police men, military personell, militians and civilians that employ cruel methods to extort money from the migrants’ families.
MEDU works to early identify these survivors among the refugees that arrive in Sicily from Sub-Saharan Africa and intervenes.
Thanks to the “ON.TO.” project MEDU guarantees
- medical and psychological support through psychotherapy sessions.
- collection of testimonies, in order to carry out information and advocacy campaigns.
In Sicily, the MEDU Team of the “ON.TO.” project carries out this double action of cure and testimonies through medical and psychological consultations with asylum seekers and applicants hosted in the CAS (Centri di Accoglienza Straordinaria) of Ragusa province and in the CARA (Centro di Accoglienza per i Richiedenti Asilo) of Mineo.
Moreover, together with other local organizations, MEDU supports asylum seekers and applicants during the procedures to obtain the international protection, trying to identify the most vulnerable cases that need special attention, like unaccompanied minors, divided families, pregnant women and sexual and gender based violence survivors.
Activities
- Early identification of the most vulnerable migrants that need medical and psychological support to overcome the tortures and the extreme violence that they have endured.
- Support these vulnerable people that live in the CAS and SPRAR of Ragusa Province or in the CARA of Mineo, thanks to a psychiatrist doctor, a psychologist (they are both psychotherapists), a volunteer psychologist, two cultural mediators and other voliunteers.
- Collect the refugees’ testimonies in order to inform and carry out advocacy activities on the tortures endured by the migrants during their journey from Sub-Saharan Africa to Italy.
- Guide and support asylum seekers and applicants during the procedures to obtain the international protection.
Project summary
Name of the project
ON.TO. Stopping the torture of refugees from Sub-Saharan countries along the migratory route to Northern Africa
Type of intervention
Psychological and medical support and advocacy
Beneficiaries
Refugees disembarked in Sicily and resident in reception centers in Ragusa, who have experienced torture and other inhuman and degrading treatments
Intervention Area
Ragusa
Period
2014 – ongoing
Cofinanced by:
UNVFVT; Latter-day Saint Charities
Contacts
mail: co-sicilia@mediciperidirittiumani.org
News from the project
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Press conference “The Torture Factory” canceled
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Diary from Pozzallo
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