#reintegration

[haggishlyhagging]

When the hostilities ceased in Colombia, Sandra too was offered the opportunity to do nails, or makeup. When she asked about college, the international organizations who descended on the newly minted "post-conflict nation" asked how many sewing machines the ex-fighters would want.

"They don't offer things we need, like legal support, only beauty supplies. At one meeting there was a short-term project for ex-fighters from an international group called 'Brooms and Mops for Reintegration.'"

-Nimmi Gowrinathan, Radicalizing Her: Why Women Choose Violence.

[positivedevelopment]

Monthly Roundup January 2024

Here are some of my recommendations on who to follow on Instagram for updates and/or ways you can take action:

@so.informed

@letstalkpalestine

@euromedhr

@humanrightswatch

@amnesty

@red_maat

@cjpmeoffical

@unicef

@sulalanimalrescue

@savethechildrencanada

@oxfamcanada

@oncanadaproject

@wearthepeace

@devthepineapple

______________________________________________________________

10 Good News Stories for Kids in 2023 Despite a Difficult Year, Children’s Rights Made Progress

Rohingya refugee children in a school classroom at a refugee camp in the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh, March 9, 2023. © 2023 Mahmud Hossain Opu/AP Photo

Thomas Kwoyelo: Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army rebel commander on trial

"The long-awaited trial of a child soldier-turned-commander in the notorious Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has begun in Uganda.

Thomas Kwoyelo faces more than 70 charges - including murder, rape and the recruitment of child soldiers. He becomes the first LRA commander to be tried by a Ugandan court, marking a watershed moment for the country's judicial system."

______________________________________________________________

Heart Month 2024 is an annual observance in February dedicated to raising awareness about heart health and cardiovascular diseases.

Visit Heart and Stroke to learn more: https://www.heartandstroke.ca/

Every year on February 12th, Red Hand Day encourages political leaders to stop the use of child soldiers. This day is also referred to as the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers.

Hundreds and thousands of handprints have been collected in more than 50 countries and handed over to politicians and to responsible parties, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. There is progress, but there are still 250,000 child soldiers in the world.

Help to stop this abuse of children. Show your Red Hand to the world!

[kawasiki-jo]

Um, so they survived and there's nothing anyone can say to convince me otherwise 🥺👉🏻👈🏻

@stars-inhereyes babe I expect to be weeping when you finally come up with something ChanBig again.

Here’s a little thing that has nothing to do with whatever my baby wants to write: 

The fanart is post siege, where Big wakes up and finds Chan in the bed beside him one day. He's been in the hospital for a month for treatment, rehabilitation is a bitch but it's also the well deserved rest his body needs from his high-impact gun drama life.

He gets told about how his best friend betrayed them all. He doesn't take it too well.

He cries.

But Chan's arms for the first time open. For the first time they hold onto the weeping man as he wails softly into the fabric of the elder's hospital gown.

"I should have noticed. Should have seen the signs."

"Maybe I could have changed his mind."

Chan stays silent but his arms tighten around the body between them ever so slightly. 

[aleidadominik2000blog]

[bibliolithid]

If you have multiple tumblr accounts it is good an natural actually if they slowly converge over time

[brohogany]

violet flame

[emancip8projectonline]

Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration: Lessons from Latin America’s Peace Processes

by Emancip8 Project

A pivotal component of sustainable peace in post-conflict societies is the successful implementation of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) programs. Latin America has experienced numerous armed conflicts in recent history, offering valuable insights into the complexities and challenges associated with DDR processes. This article discusses key lessons drawn from Latin America’s peace processes, emphasizing the importance of political will, community engagement, and long-term investment in reintegration efforts.

The region’s DDR experiences vary significantly, with countries such as Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala demonstrating diverse approaches and outcomes. In Colombia, the peace agreement signed between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in 2016 marked a significant milestone for DDR efforts (Theidon, 2016). Conversely, El Salvador’s 1992 peace accords resulted in a more contentious and challenging DDR process (Call, 2002). Guatemala’s 1996 peace agreement, meanwhile, showcased the potential for a successful and inclusive DDR process (Azpuru, 2010).

One critical lesson from Latin America’s peace processes is the necessity of strong political will and commitment from all parties involved in the conflict. In Colombia, the government’s dedication to addressing the root causes of conflict and creating a comprehensive DDR program was essential to its success (Muggah & O’Donnell, 2015). In contrast, the lack of political commitment in El Salvador contributed to the persistence of violence and insecurity in the country (Cruz, 2016).

Another important lesson is the significance of community engagement in DDR processes. In Guatemala, the involvement of local communities and civil society organizations in designing and implementing reintegration programs was crucial for their success (Berghof Foundation, 2017). Involving affected communities not only ensures that DDR programs are contextually appropriate but also fosters local ownership and long-term sustainability.

Lastly, Latin American peace processes underscore the importance of investing in long-term reintegration efforts. This includes providing ex-combatants with access to education, employment opportunities, and psychosocial support (Muggah & O’Donnell, 2015). Focusing on these elements helps to reduce the risk of recidivism and promote sustainable peace.

In conclusion, the experiences of Latin America’s peace processes offer valuable lessons for the design and implementation of DDR programs. Key insights include the importance of political will, community engagement, and long-term investment in reintegration efforts. By drawing on these lessons, DDR processes can contribute to lasting peace and stability in post-conflict societies.

References:

Azpuru, D. (2010). International Support for Peace Processes: The Case of Guatemala. Journal of Peacebuilding & Development, 5(2), 1–14.

Berghof Foundation. (2017). Peace Infrastructures: Assessing Concept and Practice. Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation, 1–26.

Call, C. T. (2002). Assessing El Salvador’s Transition from Civil War to Peace. In Stedman, S. J., Rothchild, D., & Cousens, E. M. (Eds.), Ending Civil Wars: The Implementation of Peace Agreements (pp. 137–181). Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Cruz, J. M. (2016). State and Criminal Violence in Latin America. Crime, Law and Social Change, 66(4), 375–396.

Muggah, R., & O’Donnell, C. (2015). Next Generation Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration. Stability: International Journal of Security & Development, 4(1), 1–12

Read more at Emancip9 Project.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“It gets lonely, sometimes just playing with the cat, says an unemployed ex-convict as he stares bleakly out his window.” Toronto Star Archives. Object name: TSPA_0009289F. Photograph by Bob Olsen.  Published originally as part of “Behind The United Appeal: The lonely and wretched,” Toronto Star. August 30, 1971. Page 26. ---- This is the second in a series of articles on the many agencies supported by the United Appeal, which begins its public appeal for funds on Sept. 27. --- By HELEN WAINMAN Star staff writer --- When United Appeal agencies begin their public information campaigns this fall, they'll all produce slick and glossy brochures that speak of patient services, rehabilitation, vocational guidance, research, treatment and education. 

There'll be graphs and charts reporting total expenses and the amount received from United Appeal, so that the public has few questions on how their voluntary dollars are spent. 

Statistics will report the hundreds aided by the service, the thousands afflicted by the disease, the millions poured into research. 

But they won't tell about the 45-year-old woman on Bathurst St.. afflicted with multiple sclerosis and so worried about what her neighbors think that she re- fuses to stop outdoors, 

Or the 32-year-old unemployed ex-convict, living in a second-floor apartment on Pembroke St. who in tears told a John Howard Society worker: "It gets lonely sometimes, just playing with my cat." 

Loneliness feared While there are few comparisons in services provided by the 13 United Appeal agencies dealing with rehabilitation and social adjustment or health services and research, there are common denominators cutting across agency lines. 

But the problems of loneliness. confusion, fear, adjustment to disease or social condition sound trite when reproduced in the professional brochures. So the agencies are left describing impersonal services even though they cope with far more. 

"It's ironic," says Mrs. Doreen Konradis, executive director of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, that the most important things we do are often the hardest to relate to the public." 

Mrs. Konradis has been looking for a skilled volunteer to befriend the Bathurst St. woman. 

Desperate for social contacts, the woman is "literally dying of loneliness" Mrs. Konradis says. 

"But she won't talk to her neighbors for fear they'll think she only wants them to come in and do housework." 

As a result, the association this fall will attempt to recruit more visiting volunteers to visit multiple sclerosis patients in their homes. 

Mrs. Konradis estimates there are fewer than 20 volunteers to serve the estimated 2,000 residents of Metro Toronto who have the disease. 

And when the John Howard Society of Ontario describes its role as providing "rehabilitation ser-vice" for men who have served terms in prison, the public thinks the society's work ends when the man has been given a job, says social worker Charles Henderson. 

Social integration "You can't just say, give a guy a job and it's all over. The man may come out and all he sees is job, money, rent or food. But work alone is not going to do any thing for him. You have to talk about social integration. Who are his friends. How does he relate?" 

The society, which received. $160.215 from the United Appeal in 1970 and handled a case load last year of 1,300, is considering vocational training for ex-convicts, Henderson says.  “These people too often end up with third-rate jobs and that leads them to believe they're third-rate people. They're often jobs few people would take. What does that do to his self-image, if he believes that his mobility is going in end with the job?”

The public is mistaken if they think he's going to exonerate himself by scraping grease off a machine for the rest of his life."

Henderson and social worker David Kennedy claim former prisoners suffer most from "a tremendous amount of rejection and distrust. Many literally hate themselves. 

"The problem is with the men themselves who are convinced they're going to be shafted. When they don't get a job, and often it's for a legitimate reason. they're sure it's because of their prison records,” Henderson says. 

He recalls the findings of a large Toronto firm, which hired 13 detectives last spring to investigate staff thefts. Nine employees were fired as a result. None of the three ex-convicts working for the company was involved. 

"You can imagine how they felt when they learned the 'square johns’ were getting away with something they had never attempted." 

Low priorities Like other United Appeal agencies. the John Howard Societ  would like a more sympathetic publi, even though Henderson admits "we're probably low down on people's list of priorities." 

If there's an unspoken competition for public sympathy among the agencies, Toronto's Adult Cerebral Palsy Institute also feels it suffers from the same lack of public response. 

Operating one of two residences in Canada for adults afflicted with cerebral palsy, home administrator Douglas Seaton admits: "The public doesn't seem to realize that crippled children become crippled adults. They just don't respond in the same way." 

Complicating their work is the public's mistaken notion that since cerebral palsy is a brain disorder, which results in speech disorders. its victims must also he mentally retarded. An estimated 25 per cent, in fact, are capable of taking university courses. 

Most of United Appeal's health service agencies will concentrate on public information programs this fall. 

The most active will be launched by the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, which is urging all female relatives of males with the disease to take a simple blood test. The test, while not conclusive, can single out women likely to be carriers of Duchenne, the most prevalent - and deadly - form of the disease.

"It means that the woman's chance of having a dystrophic child is abnormally high," says executive director Frank Murphy. 

Since muscular dystrophy is fatal in 80 per cent of cases and life expectancy is only about 19 years, Murphy believes "any intelligent young woman told these risks would certainly decide not to have a child. 

"Now we believe it is more important that we prevent a dystrophic child from being born." 

Children afflicted The association estimates 10,000 to 12.000 children in Canada are afflicted with muscular dystrophy, a weakening of the voluntary muscles in the body. Since it is considered hereditary in 70 per cent of cases, preventing births is considered one way of curbing the disease. 

While the Canadian Arthritis and Rheumatism Society is also working to control disease, it faces an added problem: Combatting superstition and fad cures. 

"The whole field of quack cures, potions, vinegars and special diets that are supposed to cure arthritis is unbelievable," says information director Cecilia Long. 

The association estimates 2,000,000 work days are lost each year because of arthritis and rheumatism, resulting in an annual loss to the Canadian economy of $457 million. 

One and a half million Canadians are afflicted with arthritis. and 95,000 of these confined to bed or wheelchair. 

Early treatment As a result, programs are geared to letting the public know that "early treatment and proper diagnosis" can prevent disability. Serious disability results, the association warns, from "devastating neglect." 

The Metro Toronto division of Canadian Mental Health Association deals with the same frightening statistics. They predict that of all children born in 1968, one in six will need institutional treatment.

 The association has four mental health community divisions operating in Toronto in which lay and professional groups organize family life programs and communications seminars for youth and parents in area schools. 

The association also operates two rehabilitation programs for former mental hospital patients, a day camp on Toronto Island and summer camp at Niagara Lodge at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

[The later section dealing with muscular dsytrophy and arthritis, is really coming from an ableist and even eugenicist viewpoint - preventing women from having babies who might be carriers, preventing economic loss, etc. Most of the information about former prisoners isn’t much different fifty years later.]

[solgazelle]

When it’s time to bring the bitch out but you can’t bring out the bitch you used to be because she’s toxic so you have to remind yourself of your values in bitchdom and find that balance. :~)

Bitchdom Values

1. Don’t test my gangsta. A simply phrase with much power behind it. A G will keep it a stack with you, in return we only look for the reciprocated energy that proves you respect us.

2. Respect is everything. General respect for a person is the signs of a good character. Any disrespect is only a term of removal for the respect I hold for you. Once that respect is gone so closes the doors & windows that shined my light toward you. Welcome to the dark me.

3. Honoring my dark feminine. Speak and I’ll listen, yell and I’ll hear. Forever with a response and never a reaction. Throw light and I’ll respond with open love. Speak dark and I’ll respond with my love tucked away safely, protected by cold and callus.

[unitednationsday]

The United Nations keeps peace with 102 Thousand peacekeepers.

UN Peacekeeping helps countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. We have unique strengths, including legitimacy, burden sharing, and an ability to deploy troops and police from around the world, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to address a range of mandates set by the UN Security Council and General Assembly.

Policing

Mine action

Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration

Security sector reform

Justice and Corrections

Advancing Political Solutions to Conflict

[positivedevelopment]

Monthly Roundup October 2023

"All eligible donations are now being matched by the government of Canada.

Gaza is home to more than 2 million people, and half of them are children. Since October 7th, over one million people have been forced to leave their homes to escape the fighting. But nowhere is safe. Food, water, fuel and medical supplies are all running out and access to these resources are severely restricted. Tens of thousands have been injured and the medical system is on the brink of collapse.

Our member agencies are well-established in Gaza and the West Bank and are operating as best as they can, distributing pre-positioned stocks of food, water, and health kits. But these supplies are running out too.

Your gift will ensure that once safe humanitarian access is restored, we can scale up our response swiftly and effectively to deliver food, water, shelter, medical care, and protection to those who need it most. Together, we can save more lives."

Donate today HERE

Canada demand an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict;

Canada ask that Israel lift the blockade of the Gaza Strip and authorize the creation of a humanitarian corridor and an emergency humanitarian intervention;

Canada ask that Israel meet its commitments under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law;

Canada meet its international commitment to promote and defend human rights;

Canada take any other measure necessary to protect civilians, both Israelis and Palestinians, and help foster a climate conducive to building a lasting peace.

Sign the Petition HERE

Follow On Canada Project on Instagram HERE for further information on actions you may take.

Gaza Needs A Ceasefire, Now

Sign the Change.Org Petition HERE

6 ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza

Teaching About the Israel-Hamas War

A collection of resources to help students learn about Hamas’s recent attack on Israel, the dire situation in Gaza, the conflict’s roots, media literacy and more.

______________________________________________________________

New $2M gift bolsters Dallaire Institute’s work to end recruitment of child soldiers

"The Fondation Monbourquette has made a $2-million gift to the Dallaire Institute for Children, Peace and Security that will support the institute in initiating sustainable and effective approaches to global peace and security. Specifically, it will strengthen the institute’s efforts to end the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict and violence and break the cycles of violence."

'Beasts of No Nation' Author on Child Soldiers in War

"Beasts of No Nation" author Uzo Iweala joins Lunch Break With Tanya Rivero to discuss the book's unique look at child soldiers in war and its milestone status as the first fictional feature distributed by Netflix.

[agatha-abstinent]

Tag 2585 / Das mit “less drama” ist wirklich wahr

Ich sollte einfach aufhören zu zweifeln, ob das jetzt richtig war, diesen Brief abzuschicken. Ich hab mich dafür entschieden, ihn abzuschicken - also war das richtig. Ich mache darin gar nicht so viele Vorwürfe. Ich stelle nur sachlich klar, auf was ich Anrecht habe. Ich stelle dar wie mein Werdegang war. Vielleicht haben beide das vergessen. Ich kämpfe für eine Sache so wie der eine für die Versöhnung von Palästinensern und Israelis kämpft, so wie der andere für Feminismus, die Anerkennung von Frauenrechten kämpft. Ich kämpfe für die Rechte Schwerbehinderter, für die Integration von psychisch Kranken ins Arbeitsleben. Ich kann mir immer wieder sagen, dass es für meine Wertvorstellungen und Moral wichtig ist, diesen Brief geschrieben zu haben. Dass ich keine überkritische Denkart habe oder eine bin, die es zu genau nimmt. Da geht es um mein Leben! Da geht es um den Beruf, ums Drinbleiben im Arbeitsleben, um eine Referenz, die mich bis zur Rente begleitet!

Ich muss heulen, während ich das ins Handy spreche. Ich musste auch heulen, endlich mal wieder, während ich über Frieda gesprochen habe, dass sie extra für meinen Trockenheitsgeburtstag zu dem Meeting kommt. Ihr war das leider nicht vergönnt, wieder arbeiten gehen zu können. Sie lebt von einer Rente, von der sie nicht leben kann und muss Sozialhilfe zusätzlich beantragen.

Gestern am Waschbecken, ich denk das immer wieder, wie gut das ist, dass ich wegkonnte von diesem Vorgesetzten. Sicherlich wird er auch froh sein, dass er mich los ist. Aber er wird wieder ein anderes Problem haben. Er ist immer froh, wenn er jemanden los ist, die nerven, die sind anstrengend, alle sind anstrengend.

Der Chef, den ich jetzt habe, der hat über kaum jemanden komisch geredet. Vielleicht ein bisschen komisch über Werner, vielleicht ein bisschen komisch über die, die nicht mehr da ist. Der denkt total in Lösungen. Der will nicht analysieren, warum das Problem entstanden ist. Der macht auch keine Vorwürfe. Der möchte, dass die Sache gelöst wird und er ist dabei so ruhig, so entspannt. Ich glaube, ich werde den total vermissen, weil es selten ist, dass jemand führen kann und dann so freundlich dabei bleibt.

Ich hatte Angst, dass meine Antwort banal ist, dass sie falsch ist, dass das auch unmöglich ist, warum diese Antwort so lange dauert. Aber ich musste mich da erst mal reindenken und erstmal Zahlen vergleichen. Ich glaube, sie haben dann meine Antwortformulierung übernommen. Es ist gut, ich hab verstanden, dass es sehr wichtig ist, dass da jemand Hohes gefragt wird, dass man da jemanden ausstatten muss mit Argumenten - ich beginne zu verstehen, was wir da machen.

Gestern hatte ich meine Badelatschen vergessen und ich bin trotzdem schwimmen gegangen. Früher wäre das alles ein Riesenproblem für mich gewesen. Ich hätte mich geärgert, ich hätte meine Mutter angerufen, ich hätte mich total ekelt. Aber dieses mit "less drama" ist halt wirklich wahr.

Der Finn, der mal ne zeitlang ins Sonntagstraßenmeeting ging, der präsentiert sich jetzt mit einem nassen Profil auf tinder - nicht nur dieses Saufbild mit Rotlicht, was ich schon mal gesehen hatte, sondern auch eins mit Flasche. Und eins seiner Hobbys ist Wein. Der war in AA-Meetings und seine Freundin hat weitergetrunken. Und er wollte trocken sein. Und ihm war das wirklich anzumerken, dass er darunter litt, dass es schwierig ist, aufzuhören. Er hatte epileptische Anfälle mehrfach und ihm wurde empfohlen, dass er nicht mehr trinken soll. Diese Anfälle sind immer nach starken Saufgelagen passiert. Vielleicht hat er jetzt Tabletten, die die Anfälle unterdrücken, und kann weitertrinken. Vielleicht sind die Anfälle nicht mehr aufgetreten. Aber jemand, der mehrmals in den Meetings war, und das ist einfach so, kann auch nicht mehr unbeschwert trinken.

Der Hannes hatte gestern einen komisch verzerrten Mund. Vielleicht hat er sich nur selber gerade im Mundwinkel gejuckt, auf der Lippe rum gebissen. Die andere Alternative, die ich dann gleich dachte, ist, vielleicht hat er Krebs gehabt und ihm wurde das wegoperiert. Im ersten Moment hatte ich nur diesen langen Bart gesehen und da war der Gedanke im Kopf, dass ich solche langen Bärte nicht attraktiv finde. In der zweiten Sekunde habe ich ja dann schon ihn erkannt, gesehen, dass ich seine Gesichtsmimik ändert vom Normalen zum Positiven und dann hab ich weggeguckt.

Ich hatte heute keine Lust auf Solarium und letztes Wochenende auch schon nicht. Die zwei Frauen im Schwimmbad haben mich einfach wegdiskriminiert. Erst kam die eine und schmiss ihr ekelhaftes Handtuch gegen meine Tasche und ich rückte schon vorher und machte Platz für sie. Dann kam aber noch die andere, die ebenfalls ihre Sachen dazulegte. Also ging ich zur nächsten Bank. Am liebsten hätte ich zu den Weleda-Arnika-Öl-Muster-Baumwoll-Leggins-Kraul-Tanten gesagt: Ich erarbeite mir hier meinen Raum und ihr nehmt ihn mir weg! Aber dann entschädigt mich Gott, weil ich auf dem Rückweg plötzlich diesen leerstehenden Autoscooter entdecke. Und das macht mich voll glücklich, da diese Fotos machen zu können.

/

Reach out I'll be there Four Tops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EaflX0MWRo

[quotes-from-the-bookery]

“Angelo Abramo began a famous treatise with the following line: ‘Breathing is our first act of defiance.’ His daughter Beatrice later offered the following commentary upon that line: ‘Breathing is involuntary; true resistance must be chosen.’"

[fantastic-nonsense]

feel like shit, ready to have this Dick Grayson back

Dick absolutely REFUSING to let Bruce get away with his bullshit>>>>>>>>>any other characterization, you can't change my mind

[transdimensional-void]

the thing is, if the unsullied really believed they were free, she would not have an army of 8,000. like, we are talking 8,000 individual human beings with 8,000 different backstories, personalities, hopes and dreams…

especially considering how traumatic their training is, there must be a (significant) number who would gladly leave fighting behind forever—if truly given the chance.

we know their training doesn’t really strip them of all individuality. some of them choose to reclaim their original names or make up new ones. in the past, when sold in too-small groups, their training would fade and they’d assimilate to whatever group they found themselves with. they do things like overindulging in food, stopping by a tavern for a drink, seeking out intimacy with women. in short, despite their traumatic pasts, they are still humans with human desires and motivations.

if they really believed they were free, some percentage would want to return home, some to travel to places they have always wanted to see, some to settle down, find love, raise families. some may be in love already and dream of a future together. some must have family who are also enslaved—like missandei—and dream of finding and freeing them.

but we’re supposed to believe that, given a choice to do absolutely anything they wanted with the rest of their lives, every last one of them chose to *checks notes* keep doing the same thing they were doing when enslaved? all of them? really? All Of Them?

unless, of course, they didn’t actually have a choice…

[criticalrolo]

do u guys even know about vaelmir......