InternationalAlert 348d ago

“I always had conflict with my neighbours but, since the project, I have changed how I approach the problem. I don’t quarrel and look for a peaceful solution. My neighbours have seen this and also changed their behaviour, we are now very civil when we discuss any problems.” – Older Tajik woman participant of International Alert Tajikistan’s Living with Dignity project. The catastrophic effect of violent conflict on people’s mental health is well documented. It impacts the individual and the community, the way people relate to each other, how they solve problems and bring up their children. This makes it extremely challenging to rebuild societies affected by conflict. Tackling trauma and adopting approaches that address the psychological and social needs of people is fundamental to promoting peace. There is growing recognition within the international community of the benefits on integrating MHPSS into peacebuilding. From our work in Rwanda and Tajikistan we have developed seven principles to guide practitioners to integrate mental health and peacebuilding. Our new project – Peace of Mind – promotes the voices and experience of the people who have benefited from mental health support in conflict contexts. Come to our launch event to hear the experience of participants in our Rwanda and Tajikistan programmes and discuss approaches to improve the mental wellbeing of communities to pave the way to a more peaceful future. “Before joining this group I felt like carrying a heavy burden in my heart, but after joining the group I built a good relationship with my children.” Participant from Nyarugenge, Rwanda Who we are International Alert works with people directly affected by conflict to build lasting peace. With over 30 tears of experience laying the foundations for peace, we are one of the world's leading peacebuilding organisations.