Chemonics is thrilled to have officially launched the Trauma-Informed Approaches Toolkit for International Development Practitioners at the Trauma-Informed Approaches in Development Summit earlier today as part of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign for 2023. Designed to be a versatile guide applicable at any stage in the project lifecycle, the toolkit follows…
Chemonics’ trauma-informed approach emphasizes a combined conceptual approach of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s six Trauma-Informed Principles, and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Intervention Pyramid to inform the practical activity recommendations and tools for each stage. With 28 unique tools and numerous other external tools included, this toolkit…
Every year, December 3 marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. An estimated one in six people on Earth live with a disability — whether apparent or non-apparent, permanent or temporary. Although societies around the world have made progress toward disability inclusion, people with disabilities remain severely underemployed compared to the general population. In…
During the Trauma-Informed Approaches in Development Summit, we launched our Trauma-Informed Approaches Toolkit, while also showcasing trauma-informed programming in action. The summit included a panel discussion on Trauma-Informed Approaches in Action: Creating Trauma-Informed Spaces within Communities, featuring practitioners and experts from USAID’s Inclusive Development Hub, Heartland Alliance International, Chemonics’ safeguarding initiative, and two Chemonics UK-implemented…
Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a severe and systemic problem affecting individuals across the world, and leaving physical, emotional, and social scars that can last a lifetime. According to the World Health Organization, one in three women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Sexual…
This technical brief provides practical recommendations for integrating women into historically male-dominated development activities and professions, specifically highlighting the work of neutralizing unexploded ordnances in Syria using lessons learned by the Syria Civil Defence, commonly known as the White Helmets. Banner image caption: UXO volunteer provides information about unexploded ordnance to children in a camp for…
Páramos, high-altitude Andean grassland ecosystems located in South America, are rich, biodiverse ecosystems that are critical sources for fresh water and carbon storage. In Colombia, the indigenous Misak community that inhabit the Páramo de las Ánimas are strengthening their centuries-old ties to nature by prioritizing sustainable ways to protect, conserve, and restore grassland ecosystems. Los…
Catherine (Kate) Maldonado is the Senior Advisor for the Agriculture and Food Security Practice. With 20 years of experience in international programs, Kate has designed and implemented agriculture, resilience, nutrition, and food security programs in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Kate served as the Chief of Staff to the USAID Bureau for Resilience and Food…
Bordered by Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia – countries who consistently rank amongst the lowest for gender equality – the Government of Jordan have often prided themselves in being a leader in the Middle East in women’s rights and in advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. In 2018, the Government of Jordan took a…
Engaging Indigenous Peoples is essential to driving forward locally led development, ensuring international development projects respond to and align with Indigenous Peoples’ self-determined goals and needs, and deepening projects’ impact and sustainability. This engagement is encoded in USAID’s Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PRO-IP), but the question remains: How can Indigenous Peoples’…
Psychological, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and social wellbeing are deeply affected when communities and individuals are exposed to traumatic or distressing events. These feelings can be exacerbated when survivors are excluded from the decision-making processes that shape the response to issues that affect them, making them feel invisible and powerless. Chemonics UK drew from its experiences…
Constant exposure to traumatic or distressing events can impact an entire community, as well as an individual’s psychological, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and social wellbeing. This can be exacerbated when survivors are excluded from the decision-making processes regarding issues that affect them, making them feel invisible and powerless. Building on its experiences with fragile and conflict-affected…