Bridging the Gap in Violence Prevention and Mental Health Support through Culturally Relevant Community-Led Initiatives.

Wednesday, 23 November, 2022 - 15:00 to 16:30

Abstract

Approximately one in ten people in Kenya suffers from a common mental disorder, with depression, anxiety and substance use taking lead, with huge gaps in access to care. High rates of sexual and Gender based violence (SGBV), structural violence, intimate partner and mob violence(IPV, MV) have led to poor health and justice seeking behavior among women and young people who use drugs. Diversion of state resources to the Covid response saw a rise in socio-economic instability, stigma and discrimination of people who use drugs, and reduced access to health care services. The continued uncertainty led to the expression of frustration through violence and survival crimes such as theft, with women and young people bearing the highest burden through IPV, SGBV, MV and the social and economic cost of treatment and justice seeking.

In the year 2021, WRADA launched the MAVI- Men Against Violence Initiative, addressing the problem by engaging community paralegals, some of them reformed self-identified perpetrators of violence, in a culturally relevant, male- led intervention that had the potential to facilitate a change in local attitudes about gender based violence, increase demand for mental health support through increasing knowledge of common mental health issues, empower the community and reduce the experience of violence among women and young people who use drugs. Fifteen participants received peer to peer training in violence cultures and realities, awareness and response mechanisms, alternative dispute resolution skills, and basic counseling skills. A handbook of basic counseling skills was published.

The program reached over 200 people, resulting in increased capacity of men who use drugs to respond to conflict using alternative dispute resolution skills, observable changes in negative gender perceptions, and increased mental health seeking behavior among people who use drugs.

WRADA intends to scale up coverage of the project in the year 2022.

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