Balay promotes humane and psychosocial approach to first responders of grave human rights violations in a nationwide series of trainings

First responders of grave human rights violations and the Commission on Human Rights affirmed their commitment to promote a humane psychosocial approach in handling cases of victims of human rights violations in a series of training organized by Balay Rehabilitation Center between November 2018 to October 2019.

The participants are mostly investigators and officers of the CHR, members of civil society, and local government units who assist persons who have complained of torture, unlawful arrest, harassment, extra-judicial killing, and other forms of violence and adverse life events. The trainings were held in Iligan City and Misamis Oriental for the participants from Mindanao, Cebu City for the Visayas, and in Quezon City and Tanay for Luzon.

The concept and practice of trauma-informed psychosocial support was introduced to human rights investigators to avoid retraumatization of victims during interviews. The series of trainings have produced results that underscore the relevance of psychosocial approach in responding to victims of human rights violations and their families. It strengthened the capacity of frontline responders in responding to rights violations in conducting appropriate emotional support for the affected individuals and families.  

The training clarified the protective aspect of psychosocial approach in mitigating the negative psychological effects of human rights violations and in empowering them to sustain their efforts to seek justice for the violations done to their loved ones and themselves.

The activity was implemented in partnership with the Governance in Justice Programme (GOJUST) with the support of the Commission on Human Rights.