Introduction to SCORP

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2 Introduction to SCORP The Standing Committee on Refugees and Peace works within the organisation of the International Federation of Medical Students Association and was founded in 1983 as the global plight of refugees came into the limelight. Its mission was to call attention to the problems displaced people faced as well as participate in relief efforts. The committee members soon realised that these efforts were short term and palliative. Sustainable solutions would have to rest on the prevention of conflicts and human rights abuses. Based on these new resolutions, the Standing Committee on Refugees and Peace was forged in Refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations are at an extreme risk of losing health and of having their human rights abused. SCORP is concerned with the problems and needs of refugees and internally displaced people, and works for the prevention of conflicts, the main reason why people are forced to become refugees. Sustainable solutions of the problems for refugees will have to rest on the prevention of conflict and human rights abuses. 1 SCORP condemns any use of violence as a conflict solution. SCORP works for a peaceful world. SCORP understands peace as, person to person, group to group, state to state, having international solidarity, tolerance and respect for human rights.

3 Introduction to SCORP Topics Refugees In today s world there are about 11 million refugees, who face tremendous hardships like (political) persecution, human rights violations, torture, war and armed conflicts. Medical students can, as future doctors, improve the mental, social and physical well being of refugees by raising awareness of their fate and by improving their living standards in refugee camps or centres. This is why medical students can and should play a role in the global refugee effort. Unfortunately, the current medical curriculum has a minimum of teaching about refugees. Therefore, SCORP also aims at the implementation of teaching on refugees in the medical education. Human rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations in Unfortunately, to this day a lot of people in the world still face human rights violations. These violations can range from being denied the right to education, to assemble or to shelter to the horrible violations of being tortured, given an unfair trial or sentenced to death. As future doctors, we need to know what human rights are, how to protect them and how not to violate them. This is why SCORP organises workshops on human rights and why we aim at the implementation of human rights education in the medical curriculum. 2 Conflict prevention War and armed conflicts have an enormous impact on mental and physical health. From the medical preventive perspective it is very important to try to limit not only the consequences of war and armed conflict, but also prevent it from happening. For instance: physicians are needed to treat the people who got injured by a landmine. Is it then not only logical that physicians also promote disarmament to prevent future victims?

4 Racism and intolerance These topics are intertwined with all of the above. Racism and intolerance can lead to human rights violations if you are not allowed the same rights as others; racism can lead to a conflict, which can make people become refugees. Racism starts often very small and seems innocent, but beware that no prejudices take control in our minds. SCORP Aims and Objectives To learn about the problems that refugees, internally displaced people and other vulnerable populations face. To collaborate with NGOs in establishing projects for medical students to work in international refugee camps. To educate students and professionals in the health care system about refugees, internally displaced people s and other vulnerable populations health. 3 To spread awareness and educate health care professionals in human rights and violations hereof. To speak and act for peaceable conflict solutions and discuss and learn about conflict prevention. To establish and develop multidisciplinary co-operation in matters of refugees, peace-culture building, conflict prevention and human rights.

5 SCORP Activities SCORP aims at raising awareness among medical students and the general public about refugees and the threats that human rights violations, conflicts and modern warfare pose to health by means of information campaigning, exhibitions and workshops. SCORP also organises projects in refugee camps, thus giving students a chance to better sense the costs of war and displacement. Through its participation in the Peace Test project and the Peer Education program of the IFMSA, SCORP is taking an active part in the instillation of a culture of peace. The topics SCORPions are working on are very broad, and can be applied to any region from all over the world. In name of SCORP medical students made several exhibitions (on landmines, earthquakes and Hiroshima), several workshops (on human rights, medicine and war, refugees, children and war, right to health), many lectures, and much more. SCORP topics could also include racism and the fight against discrimination, child rights, women s rights (in co-operation with the Standing Committee on Reproductive Health including AIDS) and anything else YOU feel is important. SCORP gives you the opportunity to speak out against injustice and to change the world for a healthier tomorrow. 4 Structure of SCORP The SCORP International Team is lead by the IFMSA Director on Human Rights and Peace (or SCORP-Director) aided by a team of Regional Assistants and Development Assistant. SCORP Director: The Director of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace is elected by the General Assembly, among delegates of full National Members Organizations for a term of one year. The Director on Human Rights and Peace needs to work together with the SCORP LO, the IFMSA President, and especially with the NORPs, Regional Assistants, and Development Assistants to integrate the work, which is done in other NGOs with the work that is done in IFMSA's national SCORP groups and SCORP related projects.

6 Being SCORP director does not only mean being the coordinator of the most peace loving SC, but it also means being part of the officials team as a whole. The purpose of this team is to develop IFMSA further positively. Some of the SCORP-D responsibilities are the following: keeping a good contact with the national SCORP groups, having an overview of the SCORP groups activities on both a national and international level, help solving possible problems, inspiring new initiatives and improvement of the SCORP groups, being the coordination and information link between the Team of Officials (TO) and the SCORP group, and encouraging the exchange of experiences between the national SCORP groups. SCORP LO: The Liaison Officer for Human Rights and Peace issues represents IFMSA in its entirety to external organizations such as IFMSA's partners; UNHCR & IPPNW. The Liaison Officers represent IFMSA to external partners, maintain communication, support IFMSA projects and make IFMSA aware of potential avenues of collaboration. The role of the LO for Human Rights and Peace is to maintain communication with the organizations and agencies that are related to refugee health, peace and human rights. Liaison Officers work not only as part of the IFMSA Officials team, but also closely with the IFMSA President, with the Standing Committee Director/s and within the group of Liaison Officers.~ 5 Regional Assistants (RAs): Regions have been created in accordance with the standards of IFMSA regionalization, general inputs made by the members of the Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace, and the consultation and support of IFMSA Officials. These are the divisions for SCORP: 1. SCORP-Africa 2. SCORP-Asia & Pacific 3. SCORP-Eastern Mediterranean 4. SCORP-Americas 5. SCORP-Europe & Central Asia

7 Some of the RAs roles are: To encourage and assist development of SCORP in the region; To assist newcomers; To encourage and maintain the cooperation within the region; To provide SCORP members of the region with examples of fundraising opportunities; To inform SCORP members about the latest developments in the region; To assist National Officers on Human Rights and Peace of the region in making contact with regional Non-Governmental Organizations. Development Assistants (DAs): Right now, SCORP has one DA: 1. SCORP Development Assistant The role of the DA is mainly to aid those NMOs that have just started SCORP activities, or to help in reactivating those NMOs that have died out. The National Officer on Refugees and Peace (NORP): 6 The national officers organise and co-ordinate the national activities. Depending on the country and the size of the national SCORP group, the NORP has a more co-ordinating or a more practical function. The national officers report twice per year (1 month before a general assembly) to the director and the standing committee. National officers can present their activities at the Working Committee meeting at the general assembly. The Local Officer on Refugees and Peace (LORP): Depending on the size of the SCORP group, NMO s can have local officers. They coordinate the local activities and most of the activities are local. They often will be the ones publicising lectures, meetings and other events in their cities and universities. Depending on the national structure, local officers will report to their national officer. Of course they are always welcome to turn to the director; it is good to inform the national officer as well about your activities. Local

8 officers are welcome to present their activities at the Working Committee meeting at the general assembly. Human Rights and Health Not for everyone the link between Human Rights and Health is a very obvious one. In 2007 the Lancet published a series on Human Rights in four parts. These articles are very valuable in understanding SCORP and the need for a Standing Committee on Human Rights and Peace for us medical students and health professionals. Also the WHO is advocating for health-related human rights. They have also published some valuable materials that we as medical students can use in promoting a human-rights based approach to health. The Lancet series can be downloaded from: WHO Health and human rights: 7 World Health Organization on Health and human rights, wide variety of online resources from WHO s work on human rights, fact sheets, speeches, publications. IFHHRO International Federation of Health and Human Rights Organizations: important SCORP external (contact via SCORP-LO). On their website you will find their campaigns, manuals and other useful resources.

9 Starting up Structure: - NORP o The NORP is the National officer. The duty of the NORP is to coordinate, lead, and report the SCORP activities of their NMO. The NORP is also the medium of communication between the SCORP in an NMO, and the international SCORP team. They are the representative of the entire NMO and all SCORPions within their respected NMO. The NORP is elected through the NMO elections. - LORP o Similar to a NORP, the LORP is in charge of the local committee. Their duty will be to be in charge of the SCORP activities in their local committees. They will be the medium of communication between their Local committee and the NORP. LORPs can also contact the international team if need be. 8 - SCORPion o Any motivated individual involved with SCORP. They are committed to the cause and often volunteer or try to help out in anyway for SCORP Projects. They also can use their creativity, share their ideas, and use their personal skills to create projects, start events, facilitate training, and many other things. SCORP is for everyone and anyone who wants to give all they can. Steps: - What is SCORP? o First you ll need to establish what SCORP is, and what SCORP does. One useful tool for this is the SCORP Manual which can be accessed by asking the SCORP-Director. Or any member of the SCORP Dream team! - What do I want to work with in SCORP?

10 o Try to make a list of the top 5 Human Rights and Peace issues in your NMO, and then 5 in the international community. For example, If I live in Country X, I would say I believe education for literacy, child labor, domestic violence, stigma against psychiatric patients, and women empowerment are my most important issues. Remember you can also link SCORP to your medical studies! (Patient rights, Rights of health care workers, ethics and support, treatment of unregistered immigrants, and the list goes on). In terms of international issues think of your region, and if not the world, for example violence in a nearby country, famine, support of victims from a natural disaster, etc. By doing so you can establish what your projects/workshops/campaigns will focus on. o Visit our internal website for project and activities inspiration: o Useful Internet sites 9 IFMSA-SCORP homepage: Rights-and-Peace Red Cross and Crescent: Amnesty International: Medecins sans Frontieres: Human Rights Watch: Information about films on human rights and its violations can be found at: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees: United Nations Human Rights: en rights

11 Contact Details If you have any more questions, require support or just want to get to know the SCORP team, please feel free to contact us by the following addresses: SCORP-Director SCORP-Liaison Officer SCORP-Regional Assistant for Europe SCORP-Regional Assistant for EMR SCORP-Regional Assistant for the Americas SCORP-Regional Assistant for Africa SCORP-Regional Assistant for Asia Pacific SCORP-Development Assistant for NMOs 10