[Music] almost five years ago I moved to
almost five years ago I moved to
almost five years ago I moved to Kurdistan with my family at the time
Kurdistan with my family at the time
Kurdistan with my family at the time Kurdistan had experienced a decade of
Kurdistan had experienced a decade of
Kurdistan had experienced a decade of dramatic expansion and economic progress
dramatic expansion and economic progress
dramatic expansion and economic progress to build on that progress I created seed
to build on that progress I created seed
to build on that progress I created seed an NGO focused on social and economic
an NGO focused on social and economic
an NGO focused on social and economic development to help make sustainable
development to help make sustainable
development to help make sustainable changes in people’s lives but before
changes in people’s lives but before
changes in people’s lives but before long Kurdistan was experiencing a
long Kurdistan was experiencing a
long Kurdistan was experiencing a humanitarian crisis as a result of the
humanitarian crisis as a result of the
humanitarian crisis as a result of the war waged by Isis or – displacing 3
war waged by Isis or – displacing 3
war waged by Isis or – displacing 3 million people
million people
million people exposing the population to extreme
exposing the population to extreme
exposing the population to extreme violence torture murder rape and
violence torture murder rape and
violence torture murder rape and targeting the Yazidi Christian and other
targeting the Yazidi Christian and other
targeting the Yazidi Christian and other minority communities with the genocide
minority communities with the genocide
minority communities with the genocide in my family I grew up hearing the
in my family I grew up hearing the
in my family I grew up hearing the constant refrain never again about the
constant refrain never again about the
constant refrain never again about the genocide of my people and yet here we
genocide of my people and yet here we
genocide of my people and yet here we are again looking at human suffering at
are again looking at human suffering at
are again looking at human suffering at an unimaginable scale but we weren’t
an unimaginable scale but we weren’t
an unimaginable scale but we weren’t looking at a nameless faceless people on
looking at a nameless faceless people on
looking at a nameless faceless people on a TV in a faraway land we were right
a TV in a faraway land we were right
a TV in a faraway land we were right here looking face to face with people
here looking face to face with people
here looking face to face with people like Mejia this brave survivor
like Mejia this brave survivor
like Mejia this brave survivor she shared with me unimaginable Horrors
she shared with me unimaginable Horrors
she shared with me unimaginable Horrors but also demonstrated unbelievable
but also demonstrated unbelievable
but also demonstrated unbelievable courage and bravery as she fought to
courage and bravery as she fought to
courage and bravery as she fought to protect her children and for all of
protect her children and for all of
protect her children and for all of their survival
their survival
their survival so I decided seed would focus on helping
so I decided seed would focus on helping
so I decided seed would focus on helping survivors of violence and conflict to
survivors of violence and conflict to
survivors of violence and conflict to heal and begin to rebuild their lives
fighting Isis through airstrikes is
fighting Isis through airstrikes is important but helping survivors build a
important but helping survivors build a
important but helping survivors build a future is also important today I want to
future is also important today I want to
future is also important today I want to talk about how we can best help
talk about how we can best help
talk about how we can best help survivors through comprehensive
survivors through comprehensive
survivors through comprehensive long-term mental health and psychosocial
long-term mental health and psychosocial
long-term mental health and psychosocial support services at seed we’re pursuing
support services at seed we’re pursuing
support services at seed we’re pursuing this through three strategies first know
this through three strategies first know
this through three strategies first know the Khan
the Khan
the Khan text this forms and shapes all of our
text this forms and shapes all of our
text this forms and shapes all of our work second deliver holistic services
work second deliver holistic services
work second deliver holistic services for the whole survivor the whole family
for the whole survivor the whole family
for the whole survivor the whole family and the whole community and third invest
and the whole community and third invest
and the whole community and third invest and build local capacity to best respond
and build local capacity to best respond
and build local capacity to best respond to the local needs whoops so let’s talk
to the local needs whoops so let’s talk
to the local needs whoops so let’s talk about this context I started the work
about this context I started the work
about this context I started the work with the displaced but we know that this
with the displaced but we know that this
with the displaced but we know that this whole society has been exposed to
whole society has been exposed to
whole society has been exposed to numerous traumatic events we found out
numerous traumatic events we found out
numerous traumatic events we found out that the mental health needs are complex
that the mental health needs are complex
that the mental health needs are complex deep and enormous not just with a
deep and enormous not just with a
deep and enormous not just with a displaced population this poses a great
displaced population this poses a great
displaced population this poses a great challenge for kurdistan’s development we
challenge for kurdistan’s development we
challenge for kurdistan’s development we have a long history of violence and
have a long history of violence and
have a long history of violence and persecution in Iraq decades of war
persecution in Iraq decades of war
persecution in Iraq decades of war oppression genocide dictatorship and
oppression genocide dictatorship and
oppression genocide dictatorship and sanctions taking their toll after 2003
sanctions taking their toll after 2003
sanctions taking their toll after 2003 rising insecurity has created a really
rising insecurity has created a really
rising insecurity has created a really dangerous environment in this crisis not
dangerous environment in this crisis not
dangerous environment in this crisis not only were individuals terrorized but
only were individuals terrorized but
only were individuals terrorized but entire communities like the Yazidis
entire communities like the Yazidis
entire communities like the Yazidis faced a population wide trauma as their
faced a population wide trauma as their
faced a population wide trauma as their group was targeted for extermination the
group was targeted for extermination the
group was targeted for extermination the men were killed the teenage boys taken
men were killed the teenage boys taken
men were killed the teenage boys taken as soldiers and over 5000 women and
as soldiers and over 5000 women and
as soldiers and over 5000 women and children taken as slaves and captives
the trauma is ongoing as many wonder and
the trauma is ongoing as many wonder and worry about missing loved ones in
worry about missing loved ones in
worry about missing loved ones in Kurdistan we see the effects of violence
Kurdistan we see the effects of violence
Kurdistan we see the effects of violence on our society decades after the
on our society decades after the
on our society decades after the genocide Ilan fall campaign of the 1980s
genocide Ilan fall campaign of the 1980s
genocide Ilan fall campaign of the 1980s the wounds of past conflict are deep and
the wounds of past conflict are deep and
the wounds of past conflict are deep and they pass from generation to generation
they pass from generation to generation
they pass from generation to generation most have never received care and
most have never received care and
most have never received care and psychological services remain limited on
psychological services remain limited on
psychological services remain limited on top of all this mental health issues
top of all this mental health issues
top of all this mental health issues bear a huge stigma
bear a huge stigma
bear a huge stigma creating a huge barrier most of the
creating a huge barrier most of the
creating a huge barrier most of the population says we’ve all been through
population says we’ve all been through
population says we’ve all been through this so just deal with it
this so just deal with it
this so just deal with it making it really difficult to ask for
making it really difficult to ask for
making it really difficult to ask for help the result is a host community
help the result is a host community
help the result is a host community that’s experienced numerous traumatic
that’s experienced numerous traumatic
that’s experienced numerous traumatic events themselves responding to a new
events themselves responding to a new
events themselves responding to a new wave of highly vulnerable displaced
wave of highly vulnerable displaced
wave of highly vulnerable displaced people finally this crisis happened in a
people finally this crisis happened in a
people finally this crisis happened in a male-dominated society where gender
male-dominated society where gender
male-dominated society where gender inequality and gender-based violence is
inequality and gender-based violence is
inequality and gender-based violence is the norm the general belief in Iraq is
the norm the general belief in Iraq is
the norm the general belief in Iraq is that men are superior to women and
that men are superior to women and
that men are superior to women and therefore have the right to control them
therefore have the right to control them
therefore have the right to control them and their fate this power imbalance has
and their fate this power imbalance has
and their fate this power imbalance has resulted in astounding rates of violence
resulted in astounding rates of violence
resulted in astounding rates of violence against women physical sexual and
against women physical sexual and
against women physical sexual and emotional and impacts every aspect of a
emotional and impacts every aspect of a
emotional and impacts every aspect of a woman’s life her right to education to
woman’s life her right to education to
woman’s life her right to education to work to fall in love and marry who she
work to fall in love and marry who she
work to fall in love and marry who she chooses to marry when she chooses to
chooses to marry when she chooses to
chooses to marry when she chooses to decide for herself whether she wants to
decide for herself whether she wants to
decide for herself whether she wants to have children even what she is going to
have children even what she is going to
have children even what she is going to wear and whether she can go outside and
wear and whether she can go outside and
wear and whether she can go outside and while it’s so painful let’s talk about
while it’s so painful let’s talk about
while it’s so painful let’s talk about what the women in captivity have
what the women in captivity have
what the women in captivity have experienced we’ll take the case of our
experienced we’ll take the case of our
experienced we’ll take the case of our clients was on a 33 year old woman in
clients was on a 33 year old woman in
clients was on a 33 year old woman in August 2014 Isis came to her village
August 2014 Isis came to her village
August 2014 Isis came to her village rounded up the Yazidis executed the men
rounded up the Yazidis executed the men
rounded up the Yazidis executed the men and took the women and young children
and took the women and young children
and took the women and young children into captivity Suzanne and her three
into captivity Suzanne and her three
into captivity Suzanne and her three young children were taken to an old
young children were taken to an old
young children were taken to an old warehouse with little food and water but
warehouse with little food and water but
warehouse with little food and water but life in that warehouse was far better
life in that warehouse was far better
life in that warehouse was far better than what lie ahead a life of slavery
than what lie ahead a life of slavery
than what lie ahead a life of slavery under – reduced to a commodity sold over
under – reduced to a commodity sold over
under – reduced to a commodity sold over and over for a price every few days
and over for a price every few days
and over for a price every few days weeks or months – a new day
weeks or months – a new day
weeks or months – a new day front abuser whose only intention was to
front abuser whose only intention was to
front abuser whose only intention was to exploit and abuse over two and a half
exploit and abuse over two and a half
exploit and abuse over two and a half years susan was raped beaten and starved
years susan was raped beaten and starved
years susan was raped beaten and starved her twelve-year-old daughter was taken
her twelve-year-old daughter was taken
her twelve-year-old daughter was taken into sexual slavery herself and her
into sexual slavery herself and her
into sexual slavery herself and her nine-year-old son was sent to an Isis
nine-year-old son was sent to an Isis
nine-year-old son was sent to an Isis training camp for boys where their
training camp for boys where their
training camp for boys where their horrific Lea brainwashed abused and
horrific Lea brainwashed abused and
horrific Lea brainwashed abused and taught nothing but violence and hatred
taught nothing but violence and hatred
taught nothing but violence and hatred for their own family she never saw
for their own family she never saw
for their own family she never saw either of them again after two and a
either of them again after two and a
either of them again after two and a half years Suzanne’s uncle rescued her
half years Suzanne’s uncle rescued her
half years Suzanne’s uncle rescued her and her five-year-old daughter a rescue
and her five-year-old daughter a rescue
and her five-year-old daughter a rescue cost between 20 and 35 thousand dollars
cost between 20 and 35 thousand dollars
cost between 20 and 35 thousand dollars to rescue a woman and her children Susan
to rescue a woman and her children Susan
to rescue a woman and her children Susan made it to Kurdistan reunited with her
made it to Kurdistan reunited with her
made it to Kurdistan reunited with her uncle whose name Lee is now deeply in
uncle whose name Lee is now deeply in
uncle whose name Lee is now deeply in debt she lived but she lives knowing
debt she lived but she lives knowing
debt she lived but she lives knowing were not knowing about the status of her
were not knowing about the status of her
were not knowing about the status of her two children and that imagining the
two children and that imagining the
two children and that imagining the suffering that they are enduring over a
suffering that they are enduring over a
suffering that they are enduring over a thousand women and children have been
thousand women and children have been
thousand women and children have been rescued or escaped but many thousands
rescued or escaped but many thousands
rescued or escaped but many thousands more remain in captivity and are being
more remain in captivity and are being
more remain in captivity and are being sold and trafficked all over Iraq Syria
sold and trafficked all over Iraq Syria
sold and trafficked all over Iraq Syria and beyond the challenges for women like
and beyond the challenges for women like
and beyond the challenges for women like Suzanne who have escaped our massive the
Suzanne who have escaped our massive the
Suzanne who have escaped our massive the physical and emotional injuries run deep
physical and emotional injuries run deep
physical and emotional injuries run deep and the care she needs is difficult to
and the care she needs is difficult to
and the care she needs is difficult to access
although the community has generally
although the community has generally accepted women who have returned back
accepted women who have returned back
accepted women who have returned back rape is considered shameful making it
rape is considered shameful making it
rape is considered shameful making it difficult for Suzanne to talk about her
difficult for Suzanne to talk about her
difficult for Suzanne to talk about her experiences and difficult for her family
experiences and difficult for her family
experiences and difficult for her family to support her on top of all this the
to support her on top of all this the
to support her on top of all this the stress of not knowing how she will
stress of not knowing how she will
stress of not knowing how she will afford food medicine and clothes while
afford food medicine and clothes while
afford food medicine and clothes while she lives in this small plastic tent in
she lives in this small plastic tent in
she lives in this small plastic tent in a camp for the displaced many women
a camp for the displaced many women
a camp for the displaced many women women come back with unwanted
women come back with unwanted
women come back with unwanted pregnancies or worse unwanted children
pregnancies or worse unwanted children
pregnancies or worse unwanted children there is little or no
there is little or no
there is little or no dance for the children born a rape for
dance for the children born a rape for
dance for the children born a rape for the children who are in captivity with
the children who are in captivity with
the children who are in captivity with their mothers they experienced
their mothers they experienced
their mothers they experienced unbelievable Horrors we’ve seen children
unbelievable Horrors we’ve seen children
unbelievable Horrors we’ve seen children as young as six both boys and girls who
as young as six both boys and girls who
as young as six both boys and girls who suffered enormous physical and sexual
suffered enormous physical and sexual
suffered enormous physical and sexual abuse now they have trouble sleeping
abuse now they have trouble sleeping
abuse now they have trouble sleeping they can be angry or violent some have
they can be angry or violent some have
they can be angry or violent some have stopped speaking families don’t know how
stopped speaking families don’t know how
stopped speaking families don’t know how to support them so how do we respond and
to support them so how do we respond and
to support them so how do we respond and what do survivors need our second
what do survivors need our second
what do survivors need our second strategy is a long-term comprehensive
strategy is a long-term comprehensive
strategy is a long-term comprehensive approach to mental health and
approach to mental health and
approach to mental health and psychosocial support services at the
psychosocial support services at the
psychosocial support services at the core of our work is psychotherapy
core of our work is psychotherapy
core of our work is psychotherapy counseling and social work a broad range
counseling and social work a broad range
counseling and social work a broad range of other social services we serve men
of other social services we serve men
of other social services we serve men women and children at all ages all
women and children at all ages all
women and children at all ages all religions and ethnic groups we designed
religions and ethnic groups we designed
religions and ethnic groups we designed our trauma-informed care to be holistic
our trauma-informed care to be holistic
our trauma-informed care to be holistic to care for the whole survivor and the
to care for the whole survivor and the
to care for the whole survivor and the whole family respond to a range of needs
whole family respond to a range of needs
whole family respond to a range of needs including individual protection housing
including individual protection housing
including individual protection housing mental and physical health economic
mental and physical health economic
mental and physical health economic empowerment and support systems to be
empowerment and support systems to be
empowerment and support systems to be effective psychological services need to
effective psychological services need to
effective psychological services need to be fully integrated with a range of
be fully integrated with a range of
be fully integrated with a range of other social services educational
other social services educational
other social services educational activities recreational vocational we’re
activities recreational vocational we’re
activities recreational vocational we’re giving families tools to cope building
giving families tools to cope building
giving families tools to cope building life skills so that they can raise
life skills so that they can raise
life skills so that they can raise healthier families and even experience a
healthier families and even experience a
healthier families and even experience a little fun and friendship which is
little fun and friendship which is
little fun and friendship which is critical to healing most resources are
critical to healing most resources are
critical to healing most resources are concentrated on women but to men were
concentrated on women but to men were
concentrated on women but to men were also affected by this crisis and to see
also affected by this crisis and to see
also affected by this crisis and to see the recovery we’re seeking we need to
the recovery we’re seeking we need to
the recovery we’re seeking we need to attend to both men and women so seed
attend to both men and women so seed
attend to both men and women so seed serves men and boys both as survivors of
serves men and boys both as survivors of
serves men and boys both as survivors of violence and potential perpetrators of
violence and potential perpetrators of
violence and potential perpetrators of violence
violence
violence we give access for men and women to an
we give access for men and women to an
we give access for men and women to an income by training them in skills so
income by training them in skills so
income by training them in skills so that they can earn money during their
that they can earn money during their
that they can earn money during their displacement and in the future and I
displacement and in the future and I
displacement and in the future and I brought with you table made by the men
brought with you table made by the men
brought with you table made by the men in our pallet furniture woodworking
in our pallet furniture woodworking
in our pallet furniture woodworking program and our knitted dolls from our
program and our knitted dolls from our
program and our knitted dolls from our women’s knitting program so I’ll be
women’s knitting program so I’ll be
women’s knitting program so I’ll be taking
taking
taking [Applause]
I will tell them that you like them and
I will tell them that you like them and you can order whatever you want after
you can order whatever you want after
you can order whatever you want after the show our services are transforming
the show our services are transforming
the show our services are transforming lives by giving people hope for the
lives by giving people hope for the
lives by giving people hope for the future by helping them builds support
future by helping them builds support
future by helping them builds support networks and building a sense of
networks and building a sense of
networks and building a sense of normalcy and routine our goal is to tap
normalcy and routine our goal is to tap
normalcy and routine our goal is to tap into their resiliency and their strength
into their resiliency and their strength
into their resiliency and their strength as they heal and empower them to make
as they heal and empower them to make
as they heal and empower them to make their own choices trauma impacts
their own choices trauma impacts
their own choices trauma impacts everyone differently so we allow the
everyone differently so we allow the
everyone differently so we allow the survivor to guide her own treatment
survivor to guide her own treatment
survivor to guide her own treatment build on her strengths let her define
build on her strengths let her define
build on her strengths let her define her own experiences and help her on a
her own experiences and help her on a
her own experiences and help her on a journey that integrates to her traumatic
journey that integrates to her traumatic
journey that integrates to her traumatic experiences as part of her life story
experiences as part of her life story
experiences as part of her life story rather than her whole story to overcome
rather than her whole story to overcome
rather than her whole story to overcome stigma we raise awareness that it’s okay
stigma we raise awareness that it’s okay
stigma we raise awareness that it’s okay to ask for help especially when you’ve
to ask for help especially when you’ve
to ask for help especially when you’ve been through these horrific events we
been through these horrific events we
been through these horrific events we need to work to end the cycle of
need to work to end the cycle of
need to work to end the cycle of violence in these communities by helping
violence in these communities by helping
violence in these communities by helping people find healthy ways to resolve
people find healthy ways to resolve
people find healthy ways to resolve conflict to build tolerance between
conflict to build tolerance between
conflict to build tolerance between groups and individuals and to build
groups and individuals and to build
groups and individuals and to build healthy beliefs about the role of women
healthy beliefs about the role of women
healthy beliefs about the role of women we work within the culture but there’s a
we work within the culture but there’s a
we work within the culture but there’s a lot more that we all can do to build
lot more that we all can do to build
lot more that we all can do to build greater acceptance and challenge the
greater acceptance and challenge the
greater acceptance and challenge the norms in our society that allowed for
norms in our society that allowed for
norms in our society that allowed for this kind of violence so this takes me
this kind of violence so this takes me
this kind of violence so this takes me to our third strategy which is even as
to our third strategy which is even as
to our third strategy which is even as we serve individuals and families we
we serve individuals and families we
we serve individuals and families we must focus on building capacity local
must focus on building capacity local
must focus on building capacity local capacity to respond to these needs the
capacity to respond to these needs the
capacity to respond to these needs the scale of the crisis is overwhelm local
scale of the crisis is overwhelm local
scale of the crisis is overwhelm local capacity and there are a few skills like
capacity and there are a few skills like
capacity and there are a few skills like kaya trous psychologist or social
kaya trous psychologist or social
kaya trous psychologist or social workers with the capacity to respond to
workers with the capacity to respond to
workers with the capacity to respond to wide scale trauma sexual violence grief
wide scale trauma sexual violence grief
wide scale trauma sexual violence grief and loss addressing this mental health
and loss addressing this mental health
and loss addressing this mental health crisis requires significant investment
crisis requires significant investment
crisis requires significant investment long term and
long term and
long term and in building mental health skills seed is
in building mental health skills seed is
in building mental health skills seed is doing this through education training
doing this through education training
doing this through education training and supervision programs not just a
and supervision programs not just a
and supervision programs not just a one-off workshop but rather focused
one-off workshop but rather focused
one-off workshop but rather focused intensive training and clinical
intensive training and clinical
intensive training and clinical supervision to kill equip providers with
supervision to kill equip providers with
supervision to kill equip providers with the skills they need so let me close
the skills they need so let me close
the skills they need so let me close with a story about how we’re
with a story about how we’re
with a story about how we’re transforming lives next going black
transforming lives next going black
transforming lives next going black bah Hey escaped
bah Hey escaped
bah Hey escaped Isis captivity and rejoined her family
Isis captivity and rejoined her family
Isis captivity and rejoined her family she started attending baking class in a
she started attending baking class in a
she started attending baking class in a in our seed center but she wasn’t fully
in our seed center but she wasn’t fully
in our seed center but she wasn’t fully engaging our psychotherapist went to her
engaging our psychotherapist went to her
engaging our psychotherapist went to her and asked if she wanted to talk bah he
and asked if she wanted to talk bah he
and asked if she wanted to talk bah he confided that she was depressed couldn’t
confided that she was depressed couldn’t
confided that she was depressed couldn’t sleep and she always feels this pain in
sleep and she always feels this pain in
sleep and she always feels this pain in her chest she started psychotherapy and
her chest she started psychotherapy and
her chest she started psychotherapy and through therapy we found out she used to
through therapy we found out she used to
through therapy we found out she used to be a tailor and bought her a sewing
be a tailor and bought her a sewing
be a tailor and bought her a sewing machine
machine
machine she started sewing things and earning an
she started sewing things and earning an
she started sewing things and earning an income for her family and through
income for her family and through
income for her family and through therapy and sewing she began to make
therapy and sewing she began to make
therapy and sewing she began to make dramatic progress and felt a sense of
dramatic progress and felt a sense of
dramatic progress and felt a sense of optimism about her future she started
optimism about her future she started
optimism about her future she started participating in our knitting program
participating in our knitting program
participating in our knitting program and in our farming program taking fresh
and in our farming program taking fresh
and in our farming program taking fresh fruit and vegetables home to her family
after five psychotherapy sessions she
after five psychotherapy sessions she said this my whole life has turned
said this my whole life has turned
said this my whole life has turned around the money I make from sewing is
around the money I make from sewing is
around the money I make from sewing is supporting my family and sometimes when
supporting my family and sometimes when
supporting my family and sometimes when poor people come to me I sew clothes for
poor people come to me I sew clothes for
poor people come to me I sew clothes for them for free because I want to give
them for free because I want to give
them for free because I want to give back and help too I do a lot of crying
back and help too I do a lot of crying
back and help too I do a lot of crying in this job now that there is hope in my
in this job now that there is hope in my
in this job now that there is hope in my life my chest doesn’t hurt so much
[Applause]
[Applause] thank you our goal is to give women like
thank you our goal is to give women like
thank you our goal is to give women like BA hey hope that they can live again I
BA hey hope that they can live again I
BA hey hope that they can live again I feel so much inspiration from these
feel so much inspiration from these
feel so much inspiration from these brave women and it’s an honor to serve
brave women and it’s an honor to serve
brave women and it’s an honor to serve them I can’t say in good faith never
them I can’t say in good faith never
them I can’t say in good faith never again but I can say I have a vision that
again but I can say I have a vision that
again but I can say I have a vision that no survivor should suffer alone thank
no survivor should suffer alone thank
no survivor should suffer alone thank you
”
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