Omar Salih Rasheed coordinates the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support program of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), deployed in over 30 countries. As a discreet face of ICRC’s emergency responses, this program is active in current crises in the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, and the occupied territories, Lebanon, Syria, as well as in forgotten crises like Yemen. Omar S. Rasheed was present in Bern on March 10, 2026 at the national conference of the Support for Torture Victims network.
Omar S. Rasheed, what are the biggest challenges in mental health during armed conflicts like in the Middle East?
In today’s wars, the scale of traumatic experiences is enormous. The duration of the crises prolongs the impact of trauma. It’s not a theory, trauma is passed down from generation to generation. Wars have evolved, no longer confined to combatants, but now pervasive within civilian populations. Support systems like family and community are destroyed. Mental health, though not as visible as water distribution, struggles to be prioritized.
Lexicon
- Mental Health: Always includes physical and psychological dimensions.
- MHSPS: Acronym for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support.
- Trauma: Experience in war, accidents, or life events. Different from post-traumatic stress disorder, which is an illness.
What population groups are most at risk of long-term psychological consequences during armed conflicts?
In prolonged conflicts, children are the most vulnerable. Their development is disrupted. In the Al-Hol camp, in northeastern Syria, children have only known violence with no access to school or play areas. Another vulnerable group includes victims of sexual violence which is increasingly used as a tactic of war to instill fear. Families of missing persons from opposing camps in conflicts are also vulnerable, often left without news for 30 or 40 years. The list of vulnerable groups goes on.
“After the destruction caused by war, it is easier to rebuild buildings than to bring back humanity.” – Omar S. Rasheed, ICRC MHSPS Coordinator
What psychosocial support does the ICRC offer?
The support ranges from basic awareness sessions in communities about mental health and accessing services to specialized psychiatric care. Between these extremes, there’s individual or group psychological support. We offer structured interventions and tailored help for specific populations. Low-threshold psychosocial offerings are crucial in the contexts we work in due to limited mental health professionals.
Is continuity of care also ensured after conflicts?
The consequences of conflict endure long after its end. We remain in some countries for many years, working with partners like National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, governments, and local organizations. The goal is to strengthen their capacity to meet the population’s needs, especially in post-conflict contexts where “brain drain” is observed.
How do your teams provide support despite access limitations and security risks?
ICRC’s neutrality allows acceptance by conflicting parties. We advocate for human rights and international humanitarian law without taking sides, gaining privileged access to supported communities. ICRC’s value is significant in contexts where other organizations cannot operate. However, this sometimes comes at a high cost, including loss or kidnapping of colleagues. Therefore, we continue to invest in upholding international humanitarian law.
Low-threshold psychosocial offerings
These highly accessible interventions can positively impact psychological well-being without always requiring a mental health professional’s intervention. The CRS Sui app for refugees is one example. These offerings were central to the national conference of the Support for Torture Victims network in Bern on March 10, 2026, where Omar S. Rasheed participated as a speaker.
For more information, visit www.torturevictims.ch/fr/evenements
