Interpeace - Psykosocial förstärkning i Burkina Faso 2023-2025

Result 1 Under this result, Interpeace dedicated the first year of the activity period to the participatory action research approach by launching wide-spread consultation which reached 1 155 people including women, young people, the elderly, community leaders as well as local security initiatives (Dozo), decentralized state services, CSOs and NGOs. The consultations made it possible for Interpeace to create a clinical profile of the people suffering from psychosocial discomfort due to insecurity and conflicts as well as precipitating factors. The consultations were also able to highlight the causal link between livelihoods and mental health and social cohesion. Interpeace has then used this data and insight to identify areas of public policy as well as community actions which can be used as a response. In addition to the above mentioned result, Interpeace report an increased awareness of mental health issue at the local levels, with key stakeholders such as the social services, the health services and local civil society starting to integrate MHPSS into their respective strategies for caring for people affected by the security crisis. The Regional Director of Health and Public Hygiene of the Cascades Region (where the program is implemented) has stated that the intervention has led to the "establishment for discussion on mental health" and that "inter-service collaborations have been initiated in the context of the mental health of IDPs and host communities". Result 2 Based on the above mentioned consultations, Interpeace has established a committee to design integrated care protocols as well as related training modules. The committee is made up by a wide-array of national and local government and service-provider representatives. During the first year of implementation, Interpeace, through the committee, developed the first versions of the integrated care protocols for people affected by the security crisis who are now in the stage of finalization. Result 3 As part of this result, institutional communication work by Interpeace made it possible to generate commitment from decentralized stakeholders for integrating mental health, psychosocial support, means of subsistence and social cohesion. Indeed, at the start of the project, Interpeace initiated and maintained communication with the local authorities, the security services, the penitentiary establishment, on the purpose of the project and the need to move towards an integrated approach to caring for people affected by the crisis safe. This communication approach was continued at the central level, through meetings with key line ministries It emerged from the discussions that the actors involved in caring for people affected by the security crisis each acted within their responsibilities without articulation so as to provide a holistic response to multidimensional needs. This confirms the initial hypothesis of the project idea. At the end of the reference period, institutional communication and inter-institutional collaboration initiated within the framework of the technical committee enabled the various stakeholders to become aware of the need to evolve towards a holistic approach. This awareness facilitated the development, in a participatory manner, of the process of designing integrated care protocols.

Long-term impact: The psychosocial and economic resilience of people affected (former members of the Security and Defense forces (SFD), government-affiliated militias, local security initiatives (Dozos), armed groups, as well their families, internally displaced people and their host communities) by the security and humanitarian crises in the Cascade region is strengthened in order to facilitate social cohesion. Overall project outcome: Strategies, plans and interventions of national and international actors working in communities affected by security and humanitarian crises integrate mental health, psychosocial support and livelihoods development as a holistic peacebuilding approach. Result 1: A better understanding of the impact of conflict and insecurity on mental health, psychosocial support, social cohesion, livelihoods and the main needs of those affected (ex-members of the SDF, VDPs, Dozos and armed groups, their families, , IDPs, host communities) by the security and humanitarian crises in the Cascades region is generated, taking into account the gender dimension; Result 2: Tools and capacities to address the multidimensional needs related to mental health, psychosocial support and livelihoods of populations affected by the security and humanitarian crises, in relation to social cohesion and peacebuilding, are strengthened and made available; Result 3: A national multidimensional care commitment framework that integrates mental health, psychosocial support, livelihoods and social cohesion is developed