Reception conditions in Southern Border exacerbate suffering
“The Border Limbo,” a report prepared by the GAC and the Sir[a] Center, concludes that the reception conditions in the Canary Islands and Melilla threaten the psychological well-being of migrants arriving at these facilities. The conditions of the reception centers on Spain’s southern border present enormous deficiencies that […]
Geum Dodou on the Melilla tragedy: “The survivors are cut off».»
In a discussion with Teo Bondyale, secretary of the Federation of African Associations in the Canary Islands, Marisa Amaro of Geum Dodou denounced the treatment and uncertainty faced by people sheltered at the Southern Border. The dialogue took place during the presentation of the report “The Limbo of the Border,” prepared by […]
Violence in transit worsens as migrants approach Europe
The Community Action Group (GAC) and the Sira Center presented some of the conclusions of their new report, “Labyrinths of Torture: Violence and Impacts on Migration Transit from Africa to Spain.” Accompanied by Isidore Collins, Human Rights Advisor for Africa at the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), the organizations emphasized […]
Sira examines the young man who lost an eye at the hands of the Civil Guard at the Melilla border fence
Assisted by Irídia, he has filed a complaint for torture and assault, with the aggravating factors of racism and public presence. The young man was attacked with a baton during the “crossing” on March 2, 2022, while fleeing border agents. Djack left Mali, his country of origin, fleeing from […]
Gabriela López presents in the European Parliament a report on violations at the Southern Border
Together with Iridia and Novact, the coordinator of the Sira Centre presents in the European Parliament the psychosocial impacts suffered by people on the move who arrive in the territory The entities travel to Brussels to present the results of the report “Human Rights Violations in the Southern Border of the Spanish State 2021-2022 - Institutional racism, borders [...]
Perceptions of psychology in sub-Saharan Africa
MAHAMADOU SIMAKHA Community Facilitator, Sir[a] Centre Widespread, seeing a psychologist is associated with stigma throughout Africa. Psychology is associated with madness and going to a mental health centre is therefore a symptom of having lost control over your body and [...]
Not all is dark
ANDREA GALÁN SANTAMARINA Psychologist at the Sir[a] Center A year ago, together with the Community Action Group, we published the report “Labyrinths of Torture: Violence and Impacts in the Migratory Transit from Africa to Spain.” After years of working with survivors of this route, at the Sir[a] Center we decided to gather their voices to bring visibility to the violence and […]
Sira wins the Desalambre Prize for best research work
Eldiario.es awards us the prize for best documentary and investigative work for “Labyrinths of Torture” and “La Cañada Responds.» The Desalambre section of elDiario.es awards the Sira Center the prize for best documentary and investigative work for the reports “Labyrinths of Torture: Violence and Impacts on Migratory Transit from Africa to Spain” and “La Cañada Responds: Psychosocial Impacts Derived […]
To question the childhood of migrant children is to attack their identity.
Over the past few years, we have observed that most of the migrant children we support have been exposed to reception conditions that did not respect their dignity and that generated fear, insecurity, and helplessness. ESTHER FRAILE | Psychologist at the Sira Center. Save the Children recorded a […]
COMMUNIQUE : New Police Protocol for Border Agents makes torture victims invisible
elDiario.es reveals a police protocol for border officers that not only criminalizes people on the move, but also renders invisible potential victims of torture and ill-treatment. On May 7, elDiario.es published an article describing the guidelines that the General Directorate of Police has disseminated among its border officers, […]