Community Work in the Ongoing Crisis Context of Gaza: Integrating a Public Health and Human Rights Approach

Abstract

Moving from socio-ecological perspectives, our work aims to explore and analyse the synergy of public healthand human rights-informed frameworks in the provision of mental health services in The Gaza Strip, a context characterised by war, trauma, and human rights violations over the past several decades. We discuss issues related to human rights violations and link these to the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of prevention in public mental health. Two case studies about families affected by war and violence in 2009 will be analysed to highlight how human rights issues are deeply embedded in interventions aimed at promoting functioning and subjective wellbeing in individuals and families living in conditions of chronic uncertainty. Working with families affected by ongoing political violence requires constant attention to human rights, which goes beyond psychotherapeutic and psychobiological interventions. Mental health services help communities living under occupation by developing resilience and survival skills throughout participative approaches. Directions for clinical work and research are discussed. Key Points1 In conflict zones, family and community are severely affected and rendered dysfunctional. 2 Ecologically and culturally informed family and community-based interventions promote salutogenesis and healing processes within the community. 3 Fostering resilience occurs in the service of human rights and allows citizens to function optimally under the present traumatic reality. 4 Working with families affected by ongoing political violence requires constant attention to human rights. 5 A synergistic approach to human rights and public mental health can reduce symptoms of psychopathology and create active and engaged citizens.

Rethinking sense of coherence: Perceptions of comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness in a group of Palestinian health care providers operating in the West Bank and Israel

“…Sumud is therefore a further culture-specific factor underpinning Palestinians' SOC and GRR (Diab et al, 2018;. The notion of Sumud encompasses practical resistance to the colonial power that has been dispossessing and subjugating Palestinians since the 1948 al-Nakbah (Meari, 2015).…”

Bioecological Implications of Narrative Exposure Therapy in Low‐Resource Settings: Individual, Family, Community, and Socio‐Political Contexts

“…Moreover, addressing trauma exposure on a global scale requires interventions that target various ecological levels, such as family, community, and policy. Populations exposed to ongoing traumatic stress are often also exposed to human rights violations; therefore, it is valuable to deliver interventions that are consistent with social justice principles and empower victims and survivors (Diab et al, ; Straker, ).…”

“…For this reason, NET has been paired with other interventions to treat a wider range of psychological symptoms related to trauma exposure (e.g., Morina et al., ). Future mental health efforts could include NET as one component of a multidimensional approach to improving the mental health and collective well‐being of communities affected by traumatic stress (Diab et al., ). Communities that have experienced continuous trauma often have experienced oppression, discrimination, or political violence (Straker, ).…”

Academic freedom, the boycott of Israel, and what psychologists can do: against the politics of normalization

“…Hospitals have limited essential drugs and fuel to run surgical theatres (Summerfield et al, 2018). Trauma and other mental health problems as a consequence of frequent military assaults are ubiquitous (Diab et al, 2018).…”

“…Discussions between the Israeli government and the Palestinian people regarding the right of return have never occurred and it is not acknowledged as a valid grievance by Israel, and even less as a matter deserving of compensation. Furthermore, the occupation of the West Bank with its attendant injustices such as detention without trial, imprisonment, and home invasions has traumatized the Palestinian population, as has the siege of Gaza and the various military campaigns over the past several years in which scores of people were killed, disabled, and injured (Diab et al, 2018; Gilbert & Fosse, 2010).…”