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Au t umn&wi n t e r
2 0 1 4 & 2 0 1 5
DEFENDERS
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resulted by themare also centre of attention.
Such consequences do not go away easily.
Some of them last for a life time. In some
instances the children of those suffering
might be effected and even continue for the
next generations. Therefore it is necessary
to pay particular attention towards the
mental needs and promotion of the mental
health of refugees, which can be done with
small investments in this regard; and bring
about notable results, not only their mental
health but also their physical health.
For this reason, as a nongovernmental
organization active in the prevention and
reduction of mental and social abuse and
defender of victims of violence, since
2010 to-date, the ODVV has successfully
conducted 5 joint projects on the promotion
of the mental and social health of Afghan
refugees in Iran.
Afghan refugees residing in Iran are a
group of the people of Afghanistan that
left their country following insecurity and
a prolonged war, and because of common
language, culture and religion they came
to Iran. Most Afghan refugees left their
country in 1978 with the start of the heavy
fighting between Afghan Mujahedin and
the Soviet occupiers, and sought refuge
in different countries, most of whom
went to Pakistan in the south and east of
Afghanistan and Iran to the west. Out of
all the people who suffered, the Pashoons
mostly went to Pakistan and Tajiks and
Hezarehs took refuge in Iran. According
to released figures, three million Afghan
refugees entered Iran.
This population that have mixed with the
Iranian population fabric, brought with it a
lot of mental and social problems, that even
with the passage of 36 years, the effects of
these problems are still visible in theAfghan
refugee community. The traditional fabric
and religious and traditional dogmatism
of Afghans has also affected the extent of
these problems and damages, in a way that
the Afghan community show particular
sensitivity towards special training for the
promotion of their mental and social health.
Some of the projects that the ODVV has
conducted include: “Prevention ofDomestic
Violence and Life Skills Education” which
was conducted in 2014 for 480 Afghan
refugees resident in Varain. This project
was held with the aim of reducing the
mental and social damages and behaviours
and impractical beliefs and increasing
self control among the Afghan refugees
community with attention to: 1 - the need
of this community to reduction of mental
and social abuse methods training; which
was greatly welcomed by this project; 2 -
UNHCR experts welcomed these training
courses; and 3 - Need for the expansion of
these trainings in vulnerable regions that
include Varamin.
According to conducted initial needs
assessments that were done via field
interviews of 200 refugees (both men
and women, aged 12 to 59) in Varamin, it
became clear that committing acts of mental
and social abuse were the result of lack of
control n life skills and subsequently the
necessity and need for teaching these skills
were felt.
The direct benefactors of the project were
80Afghan refugees (40men and 40women)
in the age range of 12 to 59 who were given
direct training, and as peer trainers, they
transferred their knowledge of life skills to
their fellowpeers (5per each trained trainer).
In the second stage the trained (peers) were
also selected by the trainers and ultimately
480 refugees in Varamin were trained in
balance life skills.
Thisprojectwas extensivelywelcomedby
the refugees in Varamin, and since Varamin
isone of the densely populated refugee
residing regions, and extensive mental and
social damages was noticed in the region -
particularly among the refugee community
- the training courses shall continue in this
region in 2015.
Afghan refugees
residing in Iran
are a group of
the people of
Afghanistan that
left their country
following insecurity
and a prolonged
war, and because of
common language,
culture and religion
they came to Iran.