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

Working Together with Hope and Connection

We published this article about Rula Mughrabi’s work as finance manager in Amman, where she has worked with a number of CVT teams: New Tactics MENA, CVT Jordan and our Regional Office. She talks about working globally and about her positive spirit. “Every year, CVT is growing, no matter the financial crises happening all over the world,” she said. “CVT is a special organization, helping people in need.”

Trauma-Focused Physiotherapy Training and Direct Care for Survivors

Wala’a Awwad, physiotherapist/trainer with CVT Jordan spoke with Grace Ogihara, senior graphic designer, about her work with clients as well as doing trauma-focused training for humanitarian organizations and physiotherapy students. Wala’a noted that she sees positive impacts for clients in “success stories like grandma being able to hold her grandchild for the first time after therapy, women regaining roles of mother in their families, seeing how children can play with siblings/friends.” Read the article here.

World Suicide Prevention Month

To honor World Suicide Prevention Month, we published this article titled “Displacement as a Determinant of Mental Health: CVT Ethiopia and Suicide Prevention.” Medhanye Alem, clinical program director, CVT Ethiopia, comments on the critical need for education and care related to suicide for refugees. “As refugees, many have lived for years in an under-resourced, very volatile environment,” he said. “Their process of resettlement may have been rejected, it may be unsafe to return back home, they don’t see the future.”

CVT Providing Support to Newly-Released Nicaraguan Political Prisoners

We released this statement about a rapid-response initiative CVT took at the request of the U.S. government to support 135 Nicaraguan political prisoners released to Guatemala. A CVT team led by Leora Hudak, migration partnerships program manager, mobilized to provide emergency mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) to the individuals in Guatemala as they arrived. Dr. Simon Adams, president & CEO, said, “Release from prison is only the first step in the journey to freedom. All survivors of torture deserve rehabilitative care and the opportunity to heal. The specialized services that we offer will help these Nicaraguan survivors to take the first steps towards rebuilding their lives.”

Release from prison is only the first step in the journey to freedom. All survivors of torture deserve rehabilitative care and the opportunity to heal.”

Dr. Simon Adams, CVT president & CEO

The Disappeared and the Importance of Community

To honor Int’l Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, Yusra Al Kailani, resilience programming trainer/psychotherapist, spoke to Zuri White-Gibson, communications strategist, about her role in CVT’s Survivors of Torture Initiative (SOTI), working with partner organizations to support affected families. Yusra said, “Through my experience working with families of missing ones, I’ve seen resilience and courage in how they manage their lives and continue supporting their families and others. To me, this is hope in their lives and how they sustain themselves.” Read the article here.

Through my experience working with families of missing ones, I’ve seen resilience and courage in how they manage their lives and continue supporting their families and others. To me, this is hope in their lives and how they sustain themselves.”

Yusra Al Kailani, resilience programming trainer/psychotherapist

State of Minnesota, U.S., Shares Best Practices for Health Care Workers Who Support Survivors

The Minnesota Department of Health published this resource titled “Newcomer Survivors of Trauma Guidance for Health Professionals,” which received input and review from Alison Beckman, CVT senior clinician for external relations, and Dr. Lisa Ide, physician. The document is intended to help health care practitioners in the state who work with torture survivors, ensuring that they use best practices for trauma-informed care, including for cases where doctors and others are providing documentation related to past torture and trauma for asylum cases.

Special Award for CVT Georgia

CVT Georgia won a H.O.P.E. Award through U.S. Congressman Hank Johnson’s office as part of his Week of HOPE, which focuses on recognition and on workshops on several key topics related to grants. The awards honor several nonprofits within Georgia’s 4th Congressional District.

Physiotherapy and Learning Bring Healing for Clients

Duha Alqam, physiotherapist with CVT Jordan, talks about her work with clients and the difference care makes for them, commenting, “We help the clients see that there is a future for themselves and to understand their past. When they face difficulties, now they’re able to deal with them successfully.” A client said to Duha, “I always remember your voice. The CVT, the group members, they give me power to complete my life, to face the difficulties in my life.” Read the CVT article here.

The 9/11 Plea Agreements and Closing Guantánamo

Before a plea agreement with 9/11 defendants was reached, and then withdrawn by the U.S. secretary of defense, Scott Roehm, CVT director of global policy & advocacy, spoke to the French news outlet Libération about the impossibility of a trial being held in the U.S. He noted that a trial was unlikely because “the work of the prosecution rests on muddy foundations, most of the evidence having been obtained under torture.” Read the article here.

Working in Coalition with Partners

Working with partners brings strength to CVT’s policy advocacy. In recent weeks, we participated in numerous actions that support survivors of torture. Below are some of these coalition and partner actions.

• We joined partners in this open letter to President Biden and Vice President Harris to express our objection to the Senate Border Act of 2024, that has been promoted as acceptable for congressional vote. The authors write: “It is shameful that instead of investing in welcoming the most vulnerable people who seek safety and a better life, and who make our country better by every measure, we’d suggest wasting our resources in ineffectual, inefficient deterrence policies that harm and kill these same people.”
• CVT joined partner organizations in this letter to White House officials, calling for humanitarian parole for Sudan, from which more than 8.2 million people have been displaced in recent conflict. The authors write, “This request is an opportunity for the United States to exercise its leadership and alleviate the pain of the Sudanese people.” Our coalition partner African Communities Together issued this press release for the letter. See the petition here.