This article, published in Medicine, Conflict & Survival, builds on experience in the former Yugoslavia to describe a model for psychosocial Healing. Post-conflict reconstruction encompasses social, physical and political reconstruction. Social reconstruction entails rebuilding the human interactions that allow a society to function. This involves the healing of psychological and social wounds of individuals and society. Psychosocial healing is a process to promote psychological and social health of individuals, families and community groups. The Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the Former Yugoslavia has pioneered a broad range of psychosocial healing programs including community-integration programs, development of volunteer action, and training of professional and lay people to take part in psychosocial healing. These programs have demonstrated that psychosocial healing can be an effective way to heal post-conflict societal trauma and rebuild a society with a vastly improved quality of life.
International Conflict Management
Saner, Kerry and Palwasha Kakar (January 2004). Health and Social Reconstruction in Afghanistan: A Report of Assessment Interviews Conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (4 pages).
This report summarizes three assessment interviews with health-related NGOs conducted in Kabul, Afghanistan by IRSS. The purpose of the assessment was to gather information concerning the continuing health and security needs in the country, and how social reconstruction and peace building can be integrated with delivery of health care, as a contribution to meeting high-priority needs. This assessment followed up a paper produced by IRSS, making a recommendation for “Social Reconstruction in Afghanistan Through the Lens of Health and Human Security.”
Gutlove, Paula and Gordon Thompson, Editors (May 2003). Psychosocial Healing: A Guide for Practitioners. Based on programs of the Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the former Yugoslavia. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (126 pages).
This complete guide for practitioners describes the use of trauma healing and related psychological and social-support activities as contributors to the development of a stable, peaceful and functional society in a post-conflict environment. It provides the context for psychosocial healing in relation to stress and trauma, and describes in detail a variety of methods and tools for implementing psychosocial healing, including a community-based process and establishing a facilitated integrated-action Network.
Thompson, Gordon, Paula Gutlove and Jacob Hale Russell (May 2003). Social Reconstruction in Afghanistan Through the Lens of Health and Human Security. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (28 pages).
This paper, a version of which was subsequently published in the book, Beyond Reconstruction in Afghanistan: Lessons from Development Experience, describes a strategy for applying human-security principles to social reconstruction in Afghanistan by working through the health sector. Experience in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere shows that health and social-reconstruction programs can be integrated to their mutual benefit. After 23 years of violent conflict, the rebuilding of Afghanistan faces severe challenges. Physical and social infrastructures are debilitated, the economy barely functions, the population’s health and nutritional status is among the lowest anywhere, and internal security is lacking. Also, Afghanistan poses a potential threat to richer countries as an exporter of drugs and terrorism. This combination of factors makes the concept of human security especially applicable to Afghanistan’s reconstruction.
The paper reviews current conditions in Afghanistan, with particular emphasis on problems facing the health sector. It then discusses the reconstruction strategies used by domestic and foreign actors, particularly in the health and internal-security sectors. Next, human security and its application are described. The paper then reviews experience elsewhere in integrating health programs and social-reconstruction programs. This leads to a discussion of opportunities in Afghanistan for integrating health and social reconstruction using a human-security approach. Finally, an organic, adaptive strategy for pursuing these opportunities is articulated.
Gutlove, Paula and Gordon Thompson (26 April 2003). “Human Security: Expanding the Scope of Public Health.” Medicine, Conflict & Survival , 2003. Vol. 19-1, pp. 17-34, published by Frank Cass, London. Reprinted with permission. (13 pages).
This article, published in Medicine, Conflict & Survival, discusses human security as an evolving principle for organizing humanitarian endeavours in the tradition of public health. Human security places the welfare of people at the core of programmes and policies, is community oriented and preventive, and recognizes the mutual vulnerability of all people and the growing global interdependence that mark the current era. Health is a crucial domain of human security, providing a context within which to build partnerships across disciplines, sectors and agencies. These principles have been demonstrated in field programmes in which health-care delivery featuring multi-sectoral co-operation across conflict lines has been used to enhance human security. Such programmes can be a model for collaborative action, and can create the sustainable community infrastructure that is essential for human security.
Thompson, Gordon and Paula Gutlove (September 2002). Health, Human Security, and Social Justice. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (26 pages).
This paper begins with a general discussion of human security, a social justice organizing principle that places the welfare of people at the core of programmes and policies. The paper then focuses on the role of health and social justice as major, mutually-reinforcing pillars of human security. Health can be a unifying dimension for human security because it provides a context within which to build an array of partnerships and a unique opportunity for deeper understanding and implementation of human security. Health-related programmes can provide an important neutral platform to address fundamental obstacles to peace because health is universally valued. They can be a model for collaborative action and can create the sustainable community infrastructure that is essential for social justice and human security. The potential benefits of pursuing health and social justice within a human-security framework are illustrated by experience with two practical endeavours in the Balkans and in the North Caucasus. Finally, the paper outlines a strategy for capturing such benefits on a global scale.
Gutlove, Paula (April 2002). Cairo Consultation on Health and Human Security. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (11 pages, 3 appendices).
This report summarizes a landmark consultation organized by WHO to address issues of health and human security that took place in Cairo, 15-17 April 2002. This consultation was the first interagency forum to address the connection between health and a concept that is receiving increasing attention — human security. The consultation provided a working model of the multidisciplinary, comprehensive nature of the human security approach. The three-day meeting brought together 50 participants, including representatives from a range of UN agencies, from states in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and from other regions including Western Europe and North America.
The consultation was organized into four phases to pursue the following objectives: First, it provided a foundation for understanding the concept of human security. Second, it explored the relationship between health and human security. Third, it examined health and human security concerns in the region. Fourth, participants worked together to develop recommendations for action, utilizing a health and human security approach, in the region and elsewhere. These recommendations were discussed and some were endorsed. The report is divided into sections reflecting the four phases of the consultation.
Thompson, Gordon (September 2001). Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the Former Yugoslavia: A Survey of Participants’ Views on the Network’s Goals and Achievements. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (13 pages, 3 appendices).
This report surveys the views of selected participants in the activities of the Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the Former Yugoslavia, regarding the Network’s goals and achievements in the past (especially 1997-2001) and its goals for the future (especially 2001-2003). Participants’ views were obtained through interviews conducted during an international conference held by the Network at Neum, Bosnia, during the period 15-18 June 2001, on the theme “Children and Youth in Post-War Situations”. The information provided by this survey can help to guide the future development of the Network. Specifically, it will help participants to learn from the experience of the Network, and to incorporate that learning into the planning of future Network activities. The Major conclusions find a is strong consensus about many of the Network’s goals, but there are also differences of opinion that should be discussed. In addition, the Network’s future structure is a high-priority issue for discussion and it would benefit from the routine use of structured learning.
Gutlove, Paula (September 2001). Children and Youth in Post-War Situations: Report on an International Conference and Training Workshops, Neum, Bosnia, 15-18 June 2001. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (12 pages, 6 appendices).
This report gives an overview and highlights of a conference of the Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the Former Yugoslavia (the Network). The report begins with a description of the Network, a community of health-care professionals from all parts of the former Yugoslavia working toward the reconciliation of existing conflicts and the prevention of further conflicts in the region through rebuilding structures for public health care and creating bridges for community reconstruction. A summary and evaluation of the conference follows. Appendices include: lists of participants in the conference and the contact group meeting; the conference program itinerary; the introduction to keynote speaker Svetlana Broz’s book Good People in a Time of Evil; an exercise in project development and proposal writing used in one of the training workshops; and responses to the conference evaluation form.
Gutlove, Paula (September 2000). The Medical Network as a Bridge to Health and Peace: Report on an International Conference and Training Workshops 4-7 May 2000, Gracanica, Bosnia. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Institute for Resource and Security Studies. (7 pages).
This report describes an international conference and associated training workshops held in Gracanica, Bosnia, in May 2000. The seminar and training workshops were organized by the Medical Network for Social Reconstruction in the Former Yugoslavia, whose history and purpose are described in Section II. Section III provides an overview of the Gracanica conference. The conference had four distinct but interrelated activities, which are described in Section IV. These four activities were: demonstration of existing grass roots programs; professional training; Medical Network program planning and organizational development; and international promotion of concepts of social reconstruction. Section V discusses the impact of the meeting, and Section VI provides some broad conclusions.
IRSS 