A toolbox based on human rights
How can you use this toolbox?
We all have a toolbox we use when we work, that we have acquired through our work. You as a helper are the most important tool. We will work on more tools and skills and practice them so that they are available in situations when we need them. Our intention is to provide tools and approaches that can stabilise survivors after they have been exposed to traumatising events, help them to deal with events that trigger traumatic memories, and teach them possible ways to regain control of their lives.
Our hope is that providing the survivor with some of these tools can enable him to use these exercises to calm a little, even when he is stressed and experiencing flashbacks. When learned, these can be effective tools that can be used in situations where few other resources or forms of therapeutic support are available. The survivor will also know more about his own reactions. We underline the importance of activating his own resources, and also to get a better overview of his rights.
Psychoeducation as a tool refers to the process of “educating” survivors about their reactions as well as certain useful reflections about life in general. We believe it is of value to offer ways of understanding the problems. The information presented is about what constitutes a trauma, why is it so painful, what are frequent and often seen reactions to this, both psychologically and physiologically, and what is the course that trauma often takes in generic terms.
This information may provide the survivor with the knowledge and ability to deal with his problems in alternative ways. Knowledge means that the survivor understands what traumatic events may do to a person, what he may expect and is aware of the reactions he may have. We believe that the more a person is aware and knowledgeable about his problem and how it affects his life and the lives of others, the more control he can have over his life, the better he can deal with and live with his problems. Psychoeducation empowers the survivor and those close to him.
We will also look at what tools the helpers feel they have themselves, what they are lacking and what they would consider useful. What is learned in the training may be regarded as useful tools in the dialogue with the survivor as well as with the community. The metaphor of “toolbox” is being used, covering different skills and ways of talking, sitting, listening, telling a story, breathing exercises etc. This web-based toolbox is intended as a supplement to your already existing toolbox.
To empower survivors is a skill/tool. The metaphor or stories can be used to empower, and many other tools that we l explore can help to stabilise the survivor and assist him to feel more in control and less frightened. To do this, we need to help the survivor to connect with his senses, that is eyes, hearing etc. Being aware of his senses may help a survivor to manage danger and fear. Knowing how the brain works and why we react the way we do in traumatic events can be a useful tool. Think of other tools you can add to your toolbox.
Human rights approach
The manual builds on and is inspired by the human rights framework. Identifying rights and abuses of rights is also important in practical psychosocial work. Understanding the experiences of the survivors in terms of human rights and as a violation of rights may be creative and bring insights and can give survivors and their helpers valuable tools. Human rights values may assist us both to understand the suffering we encounter and find ways to respond to it in a respectful and helpful way.
A human rights-based approach is about empowering people to know and claim their rights and strengthening the capacity and accountability of people and institutions who are responsible for respecting, protecting and fulfilling rights. This means giving individuals better opportunities to participate in the decisions that affects their human rights. It also means improve the capacity of those with responsibility for fulfilling rights to recognise and know how to respect those rights, and to hold them accountable. There are five fundamental underlying principles of human-rights based support:
Participation
Everyone has the right to participate in decisions which affect their human rights. Participation must be active, free, meaningful and give attention to issues of accessibility, including access to information in a form and a language which can be understood. It is the survivor’s choice whether he wants to report or not.
Empowerment
People and societies should be aware of their rights, and that they should be encouraged to participate in the development of policy and practices which affect their lives and to claim rights where necessary.
Non-discrimination and equality
All forms of discrimination in the fulfilment of rights must be prohibited, prevented and eradicated. The most marginalised, who often face the greatest barriers to realising their rights, must be prioritised.
Accountability
This requires effective monitoring of human rights norms as well as effective remedies for human rights breaches. For accountability to be effective there must be suitable laws, policies, institutions, administrative procedures and mechanisms of redress in order to secure human rights.
Legality
Governments must create mechanisms of accountability for the enforcement of rights. There must be effective national and international legal measures so that the government can be held accountable if human rights standards are not met.
Think of situations in your work with survivors that do not have a Human Rights approach. How can these situations be handled differently with a Human Rights approach?
Our aim has been to present human rights in a way that seems directly relevant in the work of the helper and explain the value of human rights approach in their daily work with survivors of human rights violations. It is about creating a possibility for the survivor to take back their dignity, feel that they again are worthy humans, that they can deal with the feelings of shame and humiliation and move beyond what the human rights violations, the injustice and the trauma, have done to them.