After the December 2013 Central African Republic civil unrest: getting psychosocial support to Red Cross volunteers

摘要

I was contacted in mid January of this year by the International Federation of Red Gross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support to see whether I was available for a four week mission to the Central African Republic, with the objective of supporting local Red Cross volunteers in their humanitarian work. The country was then at the centre of media attention as civil unrest had broken out in early December 2013, leading to deadly violence among civilian groups. I had seen pictures of Red Cross volunteers actively supporting recovery of the bodies of those killed, and I could easily imagine their involvement in caring for the wounded.