Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 2: Addressing mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies (33IC/19/R2) – U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office

¿ Ha incorporado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en los planes estratégicos u operativos pertinentes?

Los compromisos han sido incorporados en
estrategia

Explicación:

WHO resolution: In May 2024, the UK proposed a draft resolution on ‘Strengthening mental health and psychosocial support before, during and after armed conflicts, natural and human-caused disasters and health and other emergencies’.

UK Consular assistance policy: The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has continued to provide consular assistance to British nationals who need help in a crisis, for example following a natural disaster, civil unrest, terrorism, or a major transport accident. The UK works with the appropriate authorities and other organisations to help those affected and sometimes send additional staff to support in-country, when it is safe to do so. Consular staff are trained to deal with many situations, however in some cases will refer affected persons to:

– professionals in specialist areas, such as bereavement counsellors
– a partner organisation with whom the UK has an established relationship including other government departments, NGOs, or charities.
-the relevant local authority

Ha trabajado el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución con otros asociados para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

En asociación con:
Sociedad Nacional de la Cruz Roja o de la Media Luna Roja de su país
asociados en los ámbitos humanitario y de desarrollo (por ejemplo, Naciones Unidas, organizaciones no gubernamentales)

Ejemplos de cooperación:

British Red Cross: The FCDO’s Crisis Management Department has a well-established and effective working relationship with the Psychosocial Support Team (PST) of the British Red Cross, who deploy BRC staff alongside our Rapid Deployment Teams (RDT) to provide psychosocial expertise to British nationals in distress after a major humanitarian or natural disaster incident overseas.

Authorities and NGOs: The FCDO’s consular teams work with the appropriate authorities and other organisations to help those affected by crisis. The UK has an assistance partnership with Samaritans in Spain who provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress.

¿Ha habido dificultades para poner en práctica los empeños contenidos en esta resolución?

Dificultades en relación con:
otros asociados

Describa detalladamente estas dificultades:

Supporting mental health and psychosocial support should be done across different in an integrated way across the health, education, nutrition, and other sectors. The UK is keen to have standardised approaches to Mental Health & Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and champion the use of the minimum service package in MHPSS and Inter-Agency Standard Committee guidelines. The FCDO will continue working with other donors, partners, UN and the IFRC to further embed MHPSS as a mainstream intervention at the onset of armed conflict and natural disasters.

¿Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en el trabajo y la dirección del Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución?

5. Han incidido los empeños contenidos en esta resolución en las comunidades a las que el Estado/la Sociedad Nacional/la institución presta servicios?

Describa las repercusiones:

Conflict response: The FCDO’s Rapid Deployment Teams (RDT) and the British Red Cross’s PST joint deployment team deployed to support British nationals caught up in the Sudan conflict, where the RDT and BRC deployed to Cyprus to support British Nationals on transit back to the UK. They deployed also in the Israel/OPT crisis where RDT and BRC were stationed at the Gaza/Egypt border to support British Nationals coming through the Rafah crossing.

Pandemic response: The UK Public Health Rapid Support Team has developed a consortium of MHPSS partners, building national and regional MHPSS outbreak response capacity. Key outputs include a MOOC (massive open online course) on ‘COVID-19: Psychological First Aid in Africa’ (in English and French), which has been completed by over 4,000 enrolled participants.