The high interest and the positive evaluation of the 70 participants after the completion of the 1st online training seminar on “Identification of Victims of Torture”, demonstrate the great need for cooperation between Civil Society Organizations and the competent public bodies, on the transmission of know-how and good practices regarding the management techniques for the vulnerable groups and especially the victims of torture.

With the aim to transfer know-how and good practices to the staff of the Reception and Identification Service, a group of experts of METAdrasi carried out on the 18th and 19th of March 2021 the first seminar in a series of trainings that will be implemented in the context of “VicTorious: Identification and Certification of Victims of Torture”, carried out in the framework of the programme “Active Citizens Fund”.

The 1st training seminar focused on issues related to techniques and methods for identifying victims of torture. It aimed to inform and train public officials, as well as health professionals to identify torture survivors more quickly.

The contribution and support of this initiative from the General Secretariat for the Reception of Asylum Seekers was invaluable; they responded immediately and forwarded the relevant information to the staff of the centers, in order to strengthen their theoretical training and the tools at their disposal for the correct and immediate identification of victims of torture. In total, more than 70 people (health professionals and administrators) who have been working in Reception and Identification Centers (RIC) as well as in accommodation structures operating at the borders, on the islands and the mainland, registered and participated.

The General Secretary of Reception of Asylum Seekers, Mr E. Logothetis stated: “I express my great satisfaction for the successful completion of the training seminar “Identification of Victims of Torture”, organized by METAdrasi. This is a particularly sensitive issue, as torture can leave deep scars on its victims. The training of the staff or RICs and accommodation structures is a key priority for the General Secretariat of Reception of Asylum Seekers. We will continue in the same direction, in collaboration with experts, civil society organizations, Greek and foreign agencies, always guided by knowledge, responsible and timely intervention and support for the vulnerable groups.”

Since 2011, METAdrasi is the only body that undertakes the identification and certification of victims of torture, through a process based on and guided by the principles of the “Istanbul Protocol”. Since the establishment of the First Reception Service in 2012, METAdrasi supports with all its might its work, through interpretation, the network of Representatives for Unaccompanied Minors and the Certification of Victims of Torture. The ultimate goal of all the trainings, is to strengthen the ability of relevant services and organizations to recognize torture survivors, who make up a significant proportion of the refugee population, in order to be included in a supportive framework.

The greatest satisfaction for METAdrasi’s team of experts came from the results of the evaluation of the seminar: the majority of the participants evaluated with exceptional grades the interest of the seminar (4.72 / 5), the adaptation of the suggestions to their needs (4.61 / 5) and its usefulness in their daily communication with the refugee population (4.72 / 5). As one of the participants stated: “The experience, the knowledge, the general approach to the subject, the accurate answers and the good mood of all the trainers, kept our interest undiminished and made the seminar necessary and valuable.”

The programme “VicTorious: Identification and Certification of Victims of Torture” is implemented in the framework of the programme “Active Citizens Fund”, by METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development.

The Active Citizens Fund is supported through a € 12m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 – 2021. The program aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active Citizens Fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow.
More information here: www.activecitizensfud.gr