Search, in response to security challenges emerging from the repatriation of Central Asian citizens to their home countries after the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, is implementing a seven-month regional project to enable an inclusive and conflict-sensitive program on rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees in Central Asia. The project began implementation in October 2019 and builds on Search’s regional experience with Transforming Violent Extremism and Rehabilitation and Reintegration over the last five years. It aims to facilitate the exchange of information and expertise between state and non-state institutions at the national and regional level, as well as to strengthen collaboration among rehabilitation and reintegration stakeholders in Central Asia. The project will implement the following workstreams:
- Expert Workshop in Kyrgyzstan will invite international experts on post-trauma rehabilitation to share their experiences in using Community-Based Participatory Approaches and Trauma System Therapy to design and implement rehabilitation and reintegration programs in Kyrgyzstan. The workshop will enable key stakeholders across government, civil society, the United Nations as well as psychologists and social workers to share, learn and collaborate with each other.
- Regional exchange visits for state and non-state actors on Rehabilitation and Reintegration. Exchange visits to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are designed to facilitate interstate learning among state and civil society representatives on the rehabilitation and reintegration of returnees. During exchange visits, participants will visit state bodies, international organizations, and local NGOs responsible for return and reintegration programming. During exchange visits the participants will have the opportunity to meet with key national stakeholders and institutions in each participating country to learn from local approaches in rehabilitation and reintegration.
- Regional Conference on Best Practices Around Rehabilitation and Reintegration in Central Asia. The conference will promote informed, conflict-sensitive and inclusive rehabilitation programming based on the results and learnings of the two exchange visits. Search will develop an analytical report on the results of the conference with detailed recommendations for a wide range of stakeholders and disseminate these among decision makers, practitioners, and the donor community across Central Asia.
