The recent World Mental Health Report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2022 highlights the low levels of health literacy regarding mental health as one of the major barriers undermining Mental Health and Psycho-social Support (MHPSS) worldwide. The media, both traditional and new, plays a pivotal role in dismantling these barriers by educating society, advocating, and raising awareness. Ironically, media professionals themselves often lack adequate knowledge and understanding of mental health.

As part of its holistic peacebuilding programme that focuses on MHPSS to promote societal healing and reconciliation in Rwanda, Interpeace organised a training session for journalists. The objective was to increase their knowledge, skills and understanding of MHPSS.

The two-day training took place in August 2023 and provided essential tools and skills to 26 participants from various local media outlets, ensuring their ability to produce professional MHPSS and peacebuilding-related content that adhere to ethical standards.

Media involvement in peacebuilding and MHPSS processes is paramount in Rwanda, where the population continues to grapple with mental health disorders stemming from the Genocide committed against the Tutsi nearly three decades ago.

The training featured theories, case studies, and practical exercises to deepen participants’ understanding of mental health and the ethical considerations that must guide their reporting. The participants commended the training for bolstering their capacity and igniting their willingness for mental health sensitive reporting.

Producing in-depth, well-researched programmes and reports will promote advocacy among various stakeholders, including government officials, experts, and donors, aiming to advance and influence mental health policies and practices in the country.

Oswald Mutuyeyezu, one of the most influential radio journalists, expressed his desire for regular workshops. “We have learnt a lot from this workshop. We have understood Rwanda's most current diagnosed mental health disorders/illnesses and the techniques and approaches required for reporting on them. While it may be too demanding to hold this training every month, I suggest it be organised at least every quarter to refresh our minds and knowledge,” suggested Mutuyeyezu.

Scovia Mutesi, one of the most influential independent female journalists, a social media influencer, and owner of the online newspaper “Mama Urwagasabo” and a YouTube channel, proposed expanding the training to include younger journalists to ensure the initiative's sustainability.

The participants committed to producing more content related to MHPSS and peacebuilding to educate communities and raise awareness. This will contribute to an increase in mental health service utilisation in the country, which currently stands at 5.3%. It will help combat the deep-rooted stigma and discrimination often faced by people living with mental health conditions, which hinders the demand for mental health care.

Interpeace organised the training workshop in partnership with the Rwanda Media Commission (RMC), the regulatory body for the media sector in Rwanda, responsible for building its capacity. Emmanuel Mugisha, RMC’s Executive Secretary, commended the partnership with Interpeace for organising this training. He further encouraged trained journalists to utilise the skills gained to foster their professionalism and fulfil their role as the fourth estate.

“We believe in your capacity and power to drive change. Therefore, we anticipate an increase in stories, documentaries and programmes that educate Rwandans about mental health and advocate for a strong and decentralised mental health system. This training lays the foundation for a strong and fruitful partnership between Interpeace and the media sector in promoting MHPSS and peacebuilding in Rwanda,” said Mugisha.

We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing on 16 October 2023 of the former President of Finland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari, who was also the Chair of Interpeace’s Governing Board from May 2000 through December 2009.

“President Ahtisaari will be greatly missed not only by his family but by all of us in multilateral diplomacy. Interpeace joins the international community in mourning his passing and I personally salute his achievements,” said Amre Moussa, Chair of the Interpeace Governing Board. 

“Martti joined the global Governing Board in a period of political upheaval in the peace and security landscape. Throughout his chairmanship, lasting nearly 10 years, his wisdom, insight and advice were instrumental in shaping the vision, mission and way forward for our organisation. His commitment to our values and peacebuilding programmes around the world was always enthusiastic and thoughtful,” said Matthias Stiefel, Founder and Vice-Chair of Interpeace. 

“The world has lost a great international statesman today. Above all the accolades, President Ahtisaari embodied humility and a sense of what is just. Martti rooted his vision and pursuit of peace in universal human values. History books will tell of his extraordinary contribution to the advancement of peaceful cooperation within and between states and societies affected by conflict,” said Itonde Kakoma, President of Interpeace.

From everyone at Interpeace – our Governing Board and our staff – we extend our deepest condolences to President Ahtisaari’s family, friends and colleagues from his many walks of life. We especially extend our heartfelt sympathies to colleagues and friends at CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation.

We will remember him for these timeless words, which he delivered when accepting the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008: “Peace is a question of will. All conflicts can be settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to become eternal.”

 

 

Close to three decades after the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Rwandans are still experiencing its effects on mental health, socio-economic development, social cohesion, and reconciliation. The recent Rwanda Mental Health Survey conducted in 2018 by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) revealed that the prevalence of mental health disorders among the Rwandan population is higher than the global average and is particularly elevated among genocide survivors. Interpeace’s recent research studies corroborated the findings of the 2018 national survey. The most commonly diagnosed mental illnesses are major depression, post-stress traumatic disorder, anxiety, panic disorder, substance dependency, and social phobia. To address these longstanding consequences, strengthening and supporting the decentralisation of the National Mental Health and Psycho-social Support System is of paramount importance.

Over the past 20 years, the Government of Rwanda has made significant efforts to decentralise mental healthcare in referral and district hospitals and integrate it into primary healthcare (health centers) across the country. However, the country still faces challenges such as the scale of mental health needs that outstrips the capacity of available professionals, low awareness and knowledge of mental health issues, poor mental health infrastructure, and low utilisation of mental health services, which stands at 5.3%.

Through its societal healing programme implemented with the financial support of the Government of Sweden, Interpeace works with the Ministry of Health through the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) to find innovative solutions to those challenges. The programme strengthens the capacity of mental health professionals through training and the provision of equipment. With its partners such as Prison Fellowship Rwanda, Haguruka, Dignity in Detention (DIDE) Rwanda, and Groupe des Anciens Etudiants Rescapees du Genocide (GAERG), Interpeace has also introduced a community-based healing approach known as the Resilience-oriented therapy protocol, a multi-phase group-based treatment for emotional regulation, behavioural self-management, and identity development to complement the one-on-one approach usually used in health facilities across the country.

In July 2023, Interpeace trained 58 clinical psychologists and mental health nurses from seven district hospitals, 32 health centres, and four correctional facilities from the five districts of programme intervention, namely Musanze, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, Nyagatare and Ngoma, to implement resilience-oriented therapy at health centre level.

Clementine Sezicyeye, a Mental Health Nurse at Kigeme Hospital, located in Nyamagabe District, Southern Rwanda, is among the trainees. Her unit receives over 200 cases of various mental health disorders every month. She mainly offers medication-assisted treatment.  She is convinced that the community-based Resilience-oriented healing spaces will contribute to ensuring easy access to mental health care for more people.

“The one-on-one approach we have been using is good and effective, but it is not enabling us to help as many people as the scale of needs requires. We have learnt a new group-based approach that allows us to help many people at the same time with the possibility for facilitating more than two groups a week. This is an innovative solution to this challenge. We are ready to implement this protocol,” commented Sezicyeye.

The trained health professionals will facilitate resilience-oriented healing spaces created in their health centres, accommodating a group of 10 people each. Group members attend healing dialogues for a period of 30 weeks, composed of 24 weekly healing sessions and six follow-up sessions. Community members are allocated to appropriate healing groups after screening sessions conducted in communities to assess the level of their psychological distress and their needs.

The programme has supported health centres and hospitals with tablet computers for adequate data collection and management during the screening and healing processes. They will also be provided with motorcycles to facilitate the transportation of mental health professionals to remote communities.

“There are many people in communities who don’t even know or recognise that they have mental health issues and those who know but have limited means to access health care. As a health centre, we have a very limited budget to organise large-scale activities in communities. I believe that enabling us to reach out to them is the best way to support them,” said Emmanuel Mbarushimana, the Head of Muhoza Health Centre, located in Musanze District, Northern Province of Rwanda, who added that community screening sessions will be an opportunity to carry out awareness campaigns to increase awareness and knowledge among the community members as well as combat the stigma that people with mental health issues usually face.

The low mental health literacy among heads of health centres still constitutes a stumbling block to service delivery.  All 32 heads of health centres from five districts of the programme have been trained to increase their knowledge and strengthen their capacity in mental health and psycho-social support care.  “My colleagues and I used to undervalue the work of psychologists and mental health nurses because we had little knowledge of what they do and what it requires. We often used them as backup staff when we faced staff shortages. Now I have understood that they do a lot of work and need more time and safe space,” stated Mbarushimana.

The three-day Africa Resilience Forum 2023, titled “Financing Security, Peace and Development for a Resilient Africa” and organised by the African Development Bank, started in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, yesterday. Interpeace and its Finance for Peace initiative were featured prominently as one of the key partners of this milestone event. Peace Finance, an approach developed by the Finance for Peace initiative, was highlighted as a solution to the vicious cycle of conflict and underdevelopment.

A video by Finance for Peace to showcase Peace Finance was shown as part of the opening of the forum, helping to frame the event. The video was filmed as part of the joint research project by Finance for Peace and the African Development Bank in Mozambique.

Elhadj As Sy, Member of the Governing Board of Interpeace, was invited to speak on the opening panel titled “The Case for Peace-Positive Approaches that link Humanitarian, Development, Peace and Security Need”. He spoke passionately, outlining the importance of the peace, development and humanitarian nexus in providing sustainable approaches.

He said: “The key word is trust, between communities and governments. If that trust is broken, people remember. Any actors need to consider this question: Are we contributing to the problem, or are we solving it. We need to be building resilience of communities, building the path of a sustainable peace.”

Other speakers on the opening panel, jointly developed with Aswan Forum, included African Development Bank’s Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Delivery Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade; Gilles Carbonnier, Vice President, International Committee of the Red Cross; and Noura Hamladji, Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director, Regional Bureau for Africa. The discussion on innovative financing solutions to advance peace was moderated by Ahmed Abdel-Latif, Director General, Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). 

Sitting next to As Sy, VP Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade of the African Development Bank said: “In order to deliver on the Peace Finance agenda, we need to build innovative partnerships. We cannot pretend to be able to do everything alone, but we can work together.”

“We particularly like all the work Interpeace is doing on Peace Finance, and there is a lot of potential there.”

Ambassador Deike Potzel, Director General for Crisis Prevention, Stabilisation, Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Assistance, Federal Republic of Germany, also attended the Africa Resilience Forum. Witnessing the signing of the memorandum of understanding between Interpeace and the AfDB, she said:

“I am so delighted to have witnessed the signing of the MoU between AfDB and Interpeace, to address the issues we are talking about today. This is about making the systems fit for purpose and shrinking the needs.”

“We are also listening to the UN Secretary-General who has called for sustainable fnancing for peace, which is also a part of the New Agenda for Peace. We need to unlock the different sources of funding including the private sector, DFIs and IFIs.”

Ambassador Potzel added: “This is what we are passionate about. We want to make this happen. I want to thank the AfDB for picking up the baton, and I also want to thank Interpeace for working on standards for peace, which is most important. The blended financing might help business not to shy away from the fragile contexts. This is where the future is.”

The 5^th Africa Resilience Forum continues until Thursday when Interpeace’s Finance for Peace initiative hosts two panel discussions titled creating the structures and environment for Peace-positive finance and call for action on innovative peace positive private investments.

The African Development Bank and Interpeace, an international organisation for peacebuilding based in Switzerland, today signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly promote economic investment and social development that positively impacts peace.

The memorandum is accompanied by a practical work plan with goals and outcome targets, underscoring the innovative partnership between the Bank and the Finance for Peace initiative by Interpeace.

The signing ceremony took place during the Africa Resilience Forum currently underway in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The MoU was signed by the Bank’s Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, and a member of Interpeace’s governing board Elhadj As Sy.

Ambassador Deike Potzel, Director General for Crisis Prevention, Stabilisation, Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Assistance at the German Federal Foreign Office, which supports Interpeace’s Finance for Peace initiative, attended the signing.

Akin-Olugbade highlighted the importance of pursuing innovative approaches to support peace and security on the continent.

“The African Development Bank is pioneering these efforts through the Security-Indexed Investment Bond (SIIB) Initiative, endorsed at the AU Heads of State Summit in February 2022”, she told participants, adding that the proposed bonds aim to raise additional financing at scale, including through capital markets, to mitigate structural drivers of violence and conflict. The initiative also aims to offset the fiscal implications of elevated security sector spending.

“The Finance for Peace initiative by Interpeace, supported by Germany, complements the Bank’s own efforts in this space, as it aims to develop protocols and pilots around peace finance, including for a peace bond asset class”, Akin-Olugbade said.

 

Elhadj As Sy said: “Interpeace is delighted to formalise the partnership with the African Development Bank. “This strong collaboration between the AfDB and Interpeace affirms our joint commitment to catalyse private and public capital to work for a more inclusive, equitable and peaceful world”, he said.

“This partnership will demonstrate to the wider multilateral and international development financing system the need, benefits, potential and practicality of Peace Finance approaches on the continent and beyond. It will grow Peace Finance as a thematic investing approach, by developing early and successful pipeline development of Peace Finance and by fostering on-the-ground networks and capacities in Peace Finance in Africa.”

The areas for collaboration outlined by the Memorandum of Understanding, in accordance with the parties’ mandates, include:
- Technical and capacity strengthening for embedding Peace Finance approaches that realise peace impact into AfDB’s sovereign and non-sovereign operations and policy dialogue.
- Advisory support and collaboration to develop a pipeline of Peace Finance structures that realise peace impacts.
- Multistakeholder engagement and field building for wider political and investor support for Peace Finance.

As part of the partnership, a joint research project on peace-positive investment opportunities in Mozambique was launched by the two organisations recently.

 

Abidjan, 3 October 2023 - The African Development Bank and Interpeace, an international organisation for peacebuilding based in Switzerland, today signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly promote economic investment and social development that positively impacts peace.

The memorandum is accompanied by a practical work plan with goals and outcome targets, underscoring the innovative partnership between the Bank and the Finance for Peace initiative by Interpeace.

The signing ceremony took place during the Africa Resilience Forum currently underway in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The MoU was signed by the Bank’s Vice-President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, and a member of Interpeace’s governing board Elhadj As Sy.

Ambassador Deike Potzel, Director General for Crisis Prevention, Stabilisation, Peacebuilding and Humanitarian Assistance at the German Federal Foreign Office, which supports Interpeace’s Finance for Peace initiative, attended the signing.

Akin-Olugbade highlighted the importance of pursuing innovative approaches to support peace and security on the continent.

“The African Development Bank is pioneering these efforts through the Security-Indexed Investment Bond (SIIB) Initiative, endorsed at the AU Heads of State Summit in February 2022”, she told participants, adding that the proposed bonds aim to raise additional financing at scale, including through capital markets, to mitigate structural drivers of violence and conflict. The initiative also aims to offset the fiscal implications of elevated security sector spending.

“The Finance for Peace initiative by Interpeace, supported by Germany, complements the Bank’s own efforts in this space, as it aims to develop protocols and pilots around peace finance, including for a peace bond asset class”, Akin-Olugbade said.

Elhadj As Sy said: “Interpeace is delighted to formalise the partnership with the African Development Bank. “This strong collaboration between the AfDB and Interpeace affirms our joint commitment to catalyse private and public capital to work for a more inclusive, equitable and peaceful world”, he said.

“This partnership will demonstrate to the wider multilateral and international development financing system the need, benefits, potential and practicality of Peace Finance approaches on the continent and beyond. It will grow Peace Finance as a thematic investing approach, by developing early and successful pipeline development of Peace Finance and by fostering on-the-ground networks and capacities in Peace Finance in Africa.”

The areas for collaboration outlined by the Memorandum of Understanding, in accordance with the parties’ mandates, include:

- Technical and capacity strengthening for embedding Peace Finance approaches that realise peace impact into AfDB’s sovereign and non-sovereign operations and policy dialogue.

- Advisory support and collaboration to develop a pipeline of Peace Finance structures that realise peace impacts.

- Multistakeholder engagement and field building for wider political and investor support for Peace Finance.

As part of the partnership, a joint research project on peace-positive investment opportunities in Mozambique was launched by the two organisations recently.