Nigeria - This week IOM organized a three-day psychosocial training for camp coordinators and managers, together with community and religious leaders, in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno State.

The training was provided with funding from the French and German governments and is part of capacity-building activities aimed at empowering key national and local actors to promote the psychosocial wellbeing of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.

The 40 participants at the training included IDPs who provide leadership in the camps, as well as staff from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Ministry of Health and the national and state emergency management agencies, NEMA and SEMA.

The training: “Psychosocial Approach in Camp Coordination and Camp Management” provided basic information on key issues related to mental health and psychosocial support in emergency settings, including sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), protection mainstreaming and psychological first aid.

IOM project manager Luana Giardinelli said: “Capacity building activities like this are very important. They ensure that those who work closely with IDPs, especially in the camps, have the knowledge and skills needed to effectively promote and protect their psychosocial welfare. This is a key part of a wider framework for providing psychosocial support for IDPs, especially in the camps.”

Since October 2014, IOM has been running an extensive psychosocial support programme for populations affected by increased insurgency and counter-insurgency activities in northeast Nigeria.

For further information, please contact Luana Giardinelli at IOM Abuja, Tel: +234 (0) 706 702 6240), Email: lgiardinelli@iom.int