Welcome to the November 2024 issue of CVT World, CVT’s periodic compilation of the latest news, stories and public activities from our team.

Commentary: Accountability for Abuses at Abu Ghraib

As the verdict came out in favor of three Iraqi men who were tortured in Abu Ghraib, Yumna Rizvi, senior policy analyst, spoke to Sanya Mansoor in this article in The Intercept. The jury awarded the former detainees $42 million, and Yumna commented, “The American public is putting its government and its contractors on notice that, ‘We see you and we don’t agree with what you’ve done or are doing.’”

The American public is putting its government and its contractors on notice that, ‘We see you and we don’t agree with what you’ve done or are doing.’”

Yumna Rizvi, senior policy analyst

Celebrating a Decade with CVT: Reflections on Leading New Tactics in Human Rights

Noor Zada wrote this article as she celebrated 10 years of working at CVT’s New Tactics in Human Rights, where she is global program manager. Noor writes that she was introduced to the work and strategies of New Tactics when she participated in a training before joining CVT. She writes about the lessons she’s learned in her time at CVT and about the importance of resilience, noting that she’s “learned that building change is not always about grand gestures; it often starts small, with individuals and communities daring to imagine something different.”

. . . building change is not always about grand gestures; it often starts small, with individuals and communities daring to imagine something different.”

Noor Zada, global program manager, New Tactics

New Asylum Medicine Clinic in Minnesota

CVT’s St. Paul Healing Center announced a new Asylum Medicine Clinic, established in partnership with Physicians for Human Rights and the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic. The clinic operates out of the St. Paul center, where asylum seekers who are applying for legal status in the United States can go to receive free forensic medical and mental health evaluations. “This was a huge and long-standing gap in services for asylum seekers living in Minnesota,” said Sara Nelson, MSW, LICSW, program manager. “This is the only PHR clinic in the state, so it is critical for the community.”

CVT Receives Provider of the Year Award from NAMI Minnesota

CVT received the Provider of the Year Award from NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Sue Abderholden, NAMI Minnesota executive director, noted that the award is given in recognition of “excellence, respect and best practices” by a mental health service organization, writing, “Their holistic approach to healing encompasses physical and psychological care, social services, and community engagement, empowering survivors to rebuild their lives and overcome the trauma they have endured.” This prestigious award is particularly meaningful as it is awarded by our partners, peers and colleagues in the field. Sara Nelson accepted the award for CVT.

Their holistic approach to healing encompasses physical and psychological care, social services, and community engagement, empowering survivors to rebuild their lives and overcome the trauma they have endured.”

Sue Abderholden, NAMI Minnesota executive director

Fabric, Stories, Solidarity and Art: The IDREAM Quilt Project

As part of the CVT IDREAM team’s work supporting human rights defenders (HRDs) who are living in exile, the team and participants worked with an artist to create a quilt that brings to life a narrative of activism and solidarity. Dr. Karen Bovard comments in this article on her work creating the quilt and working with HRDs who sent in squares that share an image or message about their activism. She said, “I believe that art can be a mode of healing trauma, both personal trauma and cultural trauma.” IDREAM project officers Emily Beltmann-Swenson and Cory Matkovich held a special session with the activists to celebrate the quilt and share stories as part of building solidarity within the community.

Counterterrorism Copycats – Podcast Commentary

Yumna Rizvi speaks on this episode of The Undiplomatic Podcast, titled “Counterterrorism Copycats w/ Sarah Yager and Yumna Rizvi.” Interviewer Julia Gledhill speaks to Yumna and Sarah Yager, Washington director, Human Rights Watch, about the United States’ militarized counterterrorism policies and the way these policies spread globally. Yumna comments on the way the policies perpetuate themselves, saying “Once the machine starts running, it has to run. You have to continue to do other things like that to justify what you are doing. You can’t just say ‘Oh we did it, sorry. We realize that was wrong now and we have to step back.’ You have to continue to do it and continue to justify it.” The episode references their recent publication at Lawfare.

Mosaab’s Story

After fleeing his home country of Sudan, Mosaab (a pseudonym) found CVT and healing at CVT Jordan. In this story, he talks about the violence he survived and the care he found, saying “CVT helped me restore my life and rebuild my spirit. This was through passion, compassion and kindness.”

Arabic-Language Podcast Episode from New Tactics MENA

The New Tactics MENA team has published the second episode in their Arabic podcast series: “Raneen: Adventures in the World of Audiobooks.” Ayman Malhis, MENA digital media senior coordinator, writes that the episode “explores the power of creative listening and how it helps children develop important skills. In this conversation, Raneen Foundation shares inspiring insights on using audiobooks to foster imagination, creativity, and critical listening abilities in young listeners.” Listen here.

News Commentary: Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan

Dr. Simon Adams, president and CEO, is quoted and shown on video in this article in Channel News Asia about the ongoing violent conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Commenting on inaction by the UN Security Council on a diplomatic solution, Simon said “they’ve been quite content, I think, to just let it sit off in the distance and develop into what is now the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.”

CVT’s Annual Restoring Hope Breakfast Fundraising Event in Minneapolis

The CVT Development team hosted a very successful Restoring Hope Breakfast in Minneapolis. The team reported that they exceeded their fundraising goal by more than $135,000, bringing in over $655,000! 335 supporters attended the event, which featured messages of hope from Dr. Lisa Ide, physician; Simon Adams; Nimo Khalif Ali, operations manager, CVT Kenya; and Julia Classen, vice chair of the CVT board of directors. In addition, the featured speaker this year was Bosco, who shared about his experience of escaping torture in his home country, perpetrated because he is gay. Bosco served as a peer facilitator in the LGBTQI Aftercare program in CVT Nairobi, and shared a message of hope with survivors, saying “You’re worthy. You can do this.” Watch his video here.

Shelby Ankrom, CVT events specialist, said “I’m so proud of our wonderful speakers this year, and my incredible development team who helped make this event such a huge success! We are all blown away by the generosity of our community of supporters!”

Profile Article Featuring Dr. Dawood Azeemy

Dr. Dawood Azeemy, Arman program project lead, was featured in this profile article in the Georgia State News Hub. The article describes his work as a physician in Afghanistan, followed by a Fulbright Scholarship which brought him to Georgia State where he earned a Masters of Public Health degree. Leading the Arman program at CVT Georgia today, he said, “We’re helping all those Afghans who have been impacted by combat, have history of trauma, have history of torture, and we are trying to do that in a very sensitive way.”

CVT Joins Effort to Limit Arms Sales to Israel

CVT joined more than 110 partners in this letter urging senators to support the four Senate joint resolutions of disapproval (JRD) that were introduced in September to limit specific, major arms sales to Israel. The authors write, “Continued arms transfers to the Israeli government are contrary to U.S. law and the Biden administration’s own arms transfer policy, which include restrictions on arms transfers to any country based on human rights, international humanitarian law, and humanitarian assistance criteria.” Politico reported on the letter in The Complex section of its National Security Daily. This action was also covered here in DAWN MENA, Human Rights Watch, Center for Civilians in Conflict, Refugees International, and many more.

Extending Care for Survivors of Sexual Violence

Medhanye Alem, CVT Ethiopia’s clinical program director, recently spoke about providing care to internally displaced people after conflict, as part of a module from the Geneva Center of Humanitarian Studies. His talk focused on survivors of sexual violence, and he described the team’s specialized interventions, noting that “This survivor-focused, multidisciplinary approach addresses the complex needs of survivors, particularly in response to gender-based violence.” Read his talk here.

New Video from CVT Uganda on Grief Sessions

In this new video from CVT Uganda, Martha Amulen, psychotherapist/trainer, spoke with Grace Ogihara, senior graphic designer, about grief sessions she conducts with women who survived the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict and suffered many losses. Martha said the clients told her, “CVT you have given us back our lives,” because until therapy, they had not been able to move on from the loved ones whom they lost. They told her, “Now I can live for me. I can live for those who are alive.”

Now I can live for me. I can live for those who are alive.”

Former client, CVT Uganda

News Commentary: Worsening Situation for Civilians in the Congo

“Attacks are not only getting worse, they seem to be built-in to the military tactics of some predatory armed groups,” said Simon Adams in this article in the New York Sun by Hollie McKay about the humanitarian crisis in the Congo. He comments on how more than 7.3 million people have been displaced in the Congo, and that the UN and the government “have both failed to adequately protect civilians from predatory armed groups and various marauding armed forces.”