The importance of rebuilding community post conflict
There are more than 20 countries at any one time in the world today in the midst of internal conflict where civilians are the targets of gross human rights violations and of unrelenting violence. Such situations are described in the current literature as “complex emergencies”. The consequences for individuals and communities are profound and present challenges to the kinds of responses that are being offered from both local and international agencies. The reality is that when civilians are exposed to violence and become targets of systematic persecution, the communities themselves are fractured. The physical devastation of buildings and countryside is a daily reminder of the violence and state of terror people have lived through. The violence and associated losses impact tremendously on both individuals and families. This is exacerbated by the breakdown in the integrity of the community and the loss of trust between the members of the community.
Trauma refers to the breadth of experiences people have been exposed to, the consequent disruption to daily lives and personal and inter-personal interactions and the meaning given to these experiences by individuals and communities, however expressed. While taking a trauma focus, this paper does not emphasise an individual/clinical approach or primarily an aid and development approach to recovery and rebuilding. Rather, its emphasis is on (re)building communities.
Based on qualitative research involving a small sample of humanitarian workers and research of the literature, this paper presents a set of principles and a conceptual framework for a psychosocial response that is inclusive of individual needs but maintains a community perspective in situations emerging from conflict. Through this approach, social workers and others can engage with communities to build capacity at all levels to acknowledge the past, participate in the present and reclaim hope for the future.