The migrants who survived the recent shipwreck off Libya spent three days at sea without food or water, according to Doctors Without Borders. The organization shared the stories of survivors to whom they provided psychological support.
They were enslaved, raped or murdered: In 2014, thousands of Yazidis suffered a gruesome fate at the hands of the Islamic State terror militia. Survivors were often deeply traumatized. After spending years in IDP camps in Iraq, over 1,000 Yazidis have found refuge in Germany since 2015. InfoMigrants spoke to two of them about their escape, their traumas and their lives in Germany.
A police officer shot a 16-year-old unaccompanied minor several times with a submachine gun in front of a youth welfare facility in the German city of Dortmund. The shooting has prompted protests and questions in Germany.
Kalina Yordanova is a clinical psychologist in Bulgaria who has been working with refugees since 2009. She has recently been applying her expertise to help Ukrainians via an online platform called 'Кожа'.
Many Ukrainians fleeing the war in their country are likely to suffer severe mental health issues in the long-term, experts believe. They worry that all refugees could soon face even longer wait periods before they can get help, as demand for counseling exceeds availabilities.
Most of the 2.5 million refugees who have fled Ukraine have suffered traumatic experiences – among them Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian refugees who had to escape yet another war. Psychologists and social workers say counselling for the new arrivals is crucial.
A study, carried out by the WHO and published in World Psychiatry on January 11, indicates that a course of self-help for refugees experiencing psychological distress can be effective at preventing the development of a mental disorder.
Germany's new government should create more legal pathways for those fleeing conflict and persecution, says Germany's chief psychotherapist. In light of recent attacks in Germany by refugees with psychological disorders, he also stressed the need for better access to treatment.
The public debate in Germany on deporting violent or criminal migrants and refugees has been rekindled following the deadly knife attack in the city of Würzburg on June 25. However, the dimension of mental health issues and lack of access to psychological care is also being stressed following the deaths of three women in the attack.
Concluding a project on mental health for refugees in Agadez, Niger, the organization Doctors for Human Rights (MEDU) has launched an appeal to Europe, highlighting the need to ensure humanitarian corridors and the possibility of integration.
A new website in Germany in four languages has bundled together the projects and studies looking to improve the psychological health of refugees and migrants. The site www.mentalhealth4refugees.de shows seven projects where migrants might be able to access help.
As a newly arrived migrant in France, where do you turn for food, warm clothes, accommodation or legal advice? InfoMigrants has drawn up a list of some of the main NGOs and aid groups that can help make your life in France easier.