2005 World Disasters Report
 People need information as much as water, food, medicine or shelter. Information can save lives, livelihoods and resources. It may be the only form of disaster preparedness that the most vulnerable can afford. The right kind of information leads to a deeper understanding of needs and ways to respond. The wrong information can lead to inappropriate, even dangerous interventions. This is the premise of the IFRC’s 2005 World Disasters Report, which focuses on information in disaster situations.
This year’s report considers the quality of the communication that takes place between those involved in disasters and what impact this information has on the people caught up in a crisis. The report calls on agencies to focus less on gathering information for their own needs and more on exchanging information with the people they seek to support. Download the report from the IFRC web site at www.ifrc.org. |
MSF Manual on Mental Health
 Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has worked worldwide in acute emergency situations, providing mental health services and psychosocial interventions to those affected by chronic or complex emergencies. Based on these experiences, MSF has published a new manual titled Psychosocial and Mental Health Interventions in Areas of Mass Violence.
Although the guidelines focus on manmade disasters, the principles have proved to be just as effective in the context of natural disasters. The manual is useful for those in coordination positions (medical and management) to strategize, plan and supervise a psychosocial or mental health program component. Nevertheless, others interested in psychological interventions related to conflicts can also use the manual. However, it is not intended to serve as a handbook for counseling or psychotherapy. The manual is divided into three parts. The first examines general concepts about trauma and its consequences and the need for mental health programs. The second part looks at programming psychosocial interventions, and the final section covers assessment, planning, monitoring and training.
Send comments to Kaz.de.Jong@amsterdam.msf.org.
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