Hateymalo Accompaniment Program
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HATEYMALO ACCOMPANIMENT PROGRAM ICRC’S COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM TO THE FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS IN NEPAL International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) G.P.O. Box No. 21225, Meen Bhawan, Naya Baneshwor Kathmandu, Nepal T +977 1 4107285/4107279 F +977 1 4107137 E-mail: [email protected] www.icrc.org © ICRC, November 2014 Cover photo: Bhava Nath Poudel/ICRC Bardia 2010. Wives and mothers of the missing meet to share their problems with one another. Sujen Man Maharjan/ICRC If we stay at home, we feel bad, so it’s nice to come together in the group sessions. We can share our problems with one another. We feel lighter in the meeting. Relative of a missing person 1 ICRC Kishor Pandey/ICRC INTRODUCTION As per ICRC records, on July 2014, 1347 psychosocial support to the families of people remain unaccounted for since the missing persons, the ICRC in collaboration ten-year armed conflict ended in 2006. with national non-governmental Many families remain uncertain about the organizations (NGOs) and the Nepal Red fate of their loved ones. Other families Cross Society (NRCS) delivers psychological, have learnt about the death of their family economical, legal/administrative and socio- members but still yearn to know where cultural support to them. With support their loved-ones are buried and to recover groups being at the core of its multi-faceted their remains. These families live with the interventions, the program helps families pain caused by uncertainty and are unable cope with their specific problems and to grieve. rebuild social and community bonds. To help these families, the ICRC has worked The program has covered 43 districts and is on clarifying the fate of their relatives currently active in 27 districts. By the end of during and after the armed conflict. In 2010, 2015, more than 90% of the families of the the ICRC launched an accompaniment missing will have been supported through program called Hateymalo. While providing this program. 2 ICRC ICRC QUICK FACTS Pilot phase (2010 August-2012 June), 3rd expansion, on-going since phased out March 2013 • 267 families • 252 families • in 28 VDCs (sub-districts) • in more than 150 VDCs • 1 implementing partner NGO • 9 implementing NRCS DCs and • 15 accompaniers 1 NGO partner • 2 supervisors • 22 accompaniers • 9 supervisors 1st expansion (2011 March-2013 June), • 5 admin and finance assistant phased out • 9 focal people from NRCS District Chapters • 348 families • in 110 VDCs 4th expansion (2014 May-2015 October) • 5 implementing partner NGOs - 337 families • 32 accompaniers - 17 implementing partners • 10 supervisors - 41 accompaniers - 18 counsellors 2nd expansion (November 2011- - 9 admin and finance assistants September 2014), phased out - 17 Focal persons • 126 families • in 50 VDCs • 2 implementing partner NGOs • 12 accompaniers • 4 supervisors 3 ICRC CHALLENGES FOR THE FAMILIES OF THE MISSING Under international human rights law and particular, many families have no land or international humanitarian law, families very small pieces of land, they live in small have the right to know about the fate of houses if they have one and have limited their missing relatives, including their and unsustainable sources of income. whereabouts. If their relatives are dead, In Nepal, 90% of the people still missing they have a right to know the circumstances are men. Elderly parents and wives have of their death, and the place of burial if lost their main bread winner and are known. These families also need a proof economically vulnerable. Children who of death to perform the final rites that are have to live without their father are often supposed to liberate the soul of the dead subject to discrimination by other children. person, and to begin the grieving process. The uncertainty about the fate of their The families of missing persons are usually relative, the guilt, self-blame, anger, loss of facing economic hardships aggravated interest in important areas of life can lead by the disappearance of their relative. In to depression, anxiety, physical pain, intra- 4 family disputes and even suicidal thoughts. not culturally and economically accepted. In addition to these psychological Finally, the families of the missing face consequences, families also face difficulties severe legal and administrative problems in relating with their community, which i.e. related to inheritance, the transfer or affects their daily lives. The wives of missing registration of land, difficulties to obtain persons are particularly stigmatized. loans or citizenship. Such issues are Society expects them to behave and dress aggravated because missing persons do as widows, which most wives do not accept. not have a legal status. Other women in the community may consider them as threats, and men may The Hateymalo program seeks to perceive them as sexually available. Within address all these closely interconnected the family circle, they lose their position and psychological, socio-cultural, economic are often perceived as just an extra mouth and relational issues. to feed. They cannot inherit their husband’s property and going back to their parents is 5 ICRC ICRC THE HATEYMALO PROGRAM The ICRC trains interested and motivated non-professionals/volunteers (also called accompaniers) on a number of skills that enables them to facilitate or organise most of the support groups’ activities. These accompaniers also facilitate the referral of families of the missing to various service providers for specific needs. a. Social and Community Support b. Family Support In order to reduce the stigma and To minimize potential conflicts within the marginalization of the families, awareness family circle, accompaniers run information and sensitization programs are carried out sessions to reduce intra-family disputes. among the communities. For example, In some cases, families are referred to street theatres and art events depict the organizations specializing in mediation, plight of the families of missing persons. or to village leaders to help them resolve At district level, the accompaniers help the disputes. The accompaniers inform the families of the missing to be in contact with families of governmental interim relief public services or organisations that can packages and ensure they benefit from support them. these. They also refer them to appropriate service providers depending on their needs. 6 Sujen Man Maharjan/ICRC A SOLIDARITY NETWORK TO HELP THE FAMILIES A single organization cannot address all the needs of the families (socio- cultural, economical, legal, mental, etc.). Channelling resources from multiple service providers is the only way to respond to these needs effectively. Hence, the Hateymalo program has built a solidarity network with other organizations to include the families of the missing in their assistance programs. c. Mental Health and Psychological Support Accompaniers run support group sessions The solidarity network consists of for wives, mothers, fathers and children of Helvetas Employment Fund, and the the families of missing persons, to share Mental Hospital in Lagankhel. their common suffering and grief. The most vulnerable people receive counselling Furthermore, Heifer International support from trained counsellors. In contributed to improve the certain exceptional situations, members livelihood of 750 families of of the families of missing persons can missing persons as well as 1250 develop suicidal feelings, or suffer from economically vulnerable families, severe depression, anxiety or psychosis. In in 13 program phased out districts, these cases, accompaniers can refer them by encouraging them to actively to institutions that provide specialized engage in social activities. mental health care. 7 PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THE FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS IN NEPAL ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS • Ambiguous loss, anxiety, depression, impaired decision making, isolation, psychosomatic problems, psychosis, suicidal thoughts Mental Health and Psychological Support • role changes in family • family disputes • discrimination against Family daughter-in-law Support • family dysfunction Psychosocial Support to the Families of the Missing in Nepal • stigmatization • discrimination Social and • sexual harassments Community • social isolation Support Spiritual and Cultural Support • death rituals • religious rituals • cultural norms for widows 8 PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THE FAMILIES OF MISSING PERSONS IN NEPAL ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS • need to know the whereabouts • need of an answer • difficulties to find an answer Mental Health and “Right to Psychological Know” Support Support • the bread earner is missing Economic • costly processes (govt. Psychosocial Support Support relief packages, search for to the Families of missing loved ones) the Missing in Nepal • need to have a new bread earner • children’s education Administrative and Spiritual Legal Support and Cultural Support • legal status of missing person (declaration of absence) • citizenship, proof of relationship, birth certificate, land papers etc. 9 Bijay Rai/ICRC Bijay d. “Right to Know” Support e. Administrative and Legal Support The ICRC approaches all former parties to Hateymalo accompaniers assist the families the conflict in order to clarify the fate of of the missing in obtaining administrative missing persons. In addition, the ICRC liaises documents such as birth or relationship with other organizations that have collected certificates and government assistance, information on disappearances. With the in particular interim relief