When a human rights defender is forced to temporarily relocate for their own safety, the challenges they face go far beyond the logistical. When taken out from their communities, their networks, and their everyday sense of purpose, they carry with them the weight of political violence and the uncertainty of what comes next. How do the programmes that host them rise to meet that reality?
Shelter That Cares and Empowers is a practical guide written by Andrea Galán Santamarina and Álvaro Villegas Fuentes that answers this question by collecting and systematising over a decade of best practices in psychosocial accompaniment in temporary relocation programmes. Understanding the importance of the context and individual experiences from HRDs this guide does not offer grand theory, or single universal standard,but grounded knowledge from practitioners who have learned what works.
This manual highlights how psychosocial support in temporary relocation programmes should not be only provided by mental health professionals. Those engaged with the programme should all play a role, from coordinators to host families to administrative staff, in accompanying defenders.
Go and read it!
Whether you work directly with HRDs, coordinate a relocation programme, fund this kind of work, or simply want to better understand what holistic protection looks like in practice, this guide provides valuable insights.
We hope it will be a valuable resource for all those working in this field. You can find the full guide in English and Spanish and the summary in English, Spanish and French.
