Network: Psychologists for Human Rights

See: http://humanrightspsychology.org/

Background

In October 2016 an expert meeting Human Rights Education for Psychologists took place in Venice (see: http://humanrightsforpsychologists.eu/ and.  http://human-rights.efpa.eu/information/ for a report of the meeting. This meeting was the outcome of an initiative of the EFPA Board Human Rights and Psychology.

The goals set at the expert meeting include several initiatives: a textbook, Human Rights Education for Psychologists, to be published next year by Routledge; a Special Issue of the European Journal of Psychology (open access link: https://econtent.hogrefe.com/toc/epp/24/2); and a  global Network of Psychologists for Human Rights.

Current Plans for the Network

Mission

  • To unite psychologists concerned about human rights, initiatives, practices and knowledge;
  • To stimulate knowledge about the diverse aspects of human rights and psychology, and the application;
  • To provide a bridge between the global community of psychologists and international human rights initiatives, practices and knowledge.
  • To provide a bridge between international human rights initiatives and the global community of psychologists.

Aims

  • To promote the active engagement of psychologists in human rights issues.
  • To promote the use of psychological science and practice in protecting human rights and preventing human rights violations.
  • To inform about psychological expertise and assessment in how to overcome negative consequences of human rights violations.
  • To maintain a website to achieve these aims, and to scope options for developing a global Network Psychologists for Human Rights.

Next Steps

The Network will start with a website: http://www.humanrightspsychology.org/ that provides news, coming events, resources, activities and actions. It will promote exchange of information on

    • Events and conferences.
    • News and reports from:
      1. United Nations institutions;
      2. Regional institutions (e.g., the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA);
      3. Human Rights organizations (e.g. Scholars at Risk; );
      4. Global human rights initiatives.
    • Reports from/ information about relevant human rights issues in psychologists’ associations.
    • Good practice examples from human rights groups (e.g., national, regional and international human rights institutes).
    • Ethical issues related to human rights and psychology.
    • Examples of relevant psychological interventions.
    • Information on the publication of relevant books, journals, articles, theses, blogs, and other information related to human rights and psychology.

Anticipated Network Activities

  1. Engage psychological associations with the website and request their support in disseminating information and participating in Network initiatives.
  2. Support colleagues working in difficult situations or under threat of human rights violations.
  3. Gather information on human rights violations or threats to human rights in relation to psychology or psychologists.
  4. Promote best practices of psychologists for the protection of human rights.
  5. Provide opportunities for skill building and collaboration (e.g. offer workshops at conferences, provide information on finding funds for projects); develop awards addressing human rights and psychology.

Organization

The Network website and the anticipated Network will be organized as a cooperation between the International Council of Psychologists (ICP, (https://www.icpweb.org/)) and the EFPA Board Human Rights and Psychology. ICP will host the Network on ‘a daily basis’ with editorial oversight from an international editorial board (co-chaired by the ICP and the EFPA Board Human Rights and Psychology). The Network will also develop an advisory board with broad global representation.

The Network will reach out to affiliate with relevant psychology regional and international professional associations, and with relevant regional and international human rights organizations.

Network Website

Skeleton Network website: http://humanrightspsychology.org

Example of similar network in another discipline: http://www.concernedhistorians.org/content/home.html )

 

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