Integration of livelihood into MHPSS Program
Background: Nepal suffered a 10-year-long political conflict also known as the ‘People’s War’ or the ‘Nepalese Civil War’ (1996–2006). More than 18,000 people lost their lives, thousands more were injured or displaced, and many were victims of grave human rights violations. With the end of the civil war and the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord, several attempts have been made by the government of Nepal and various civil society organizations to reintegrate the survivors of torture/conflict into the society of origin. However, this still demands initiatives on reparation and justice, compensation to survivors, and holistic support for rehabilitation.
Under this context, TPO Nepal has been supporting the survivors of human rights violations through the promotion of their mental health and psychosocial well-being for several years since its establishment. More than 90% of survivors treated by TPO Nepal had serious issues of poverty, unemployment, and livelihood. It has now been realized that sustainable impacts on the lives of those affected demand fulfillment of economic needs. Therefore, this project aimed to implement a comprehensive modular intervention combining mental health and psychosocial support services together with livelihood activities.
Results:
- 44 torture survivors from Dang, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali, and Kanchanpur districts benefited from livelihood support provided in integration with MHPSS. They received livelihood support activities including
animal husbandry (pig, goat, and worm), grocery and cosmetic shops, auto-rickshaws, and other microentrepreneurship activities. - Livelihood support offered in combination with MHPSS contributed to better mental health and psychosocial well-being, productivity, and economic outcomes among those torture survivors.
Implementation area:
Lumbini Province: Banke, Bardiya and Dang
Sudurpaschim Province: Kailali and Kanchanpur
Time Frame: June 2022 to December 2022
Target Population: 46 survivors of human rights violations affected by the Nepalese Civil War (1996-2006)
Supported by: International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)