Author(s):
Chayer Amelie <amelie@icbl.org> .
Wednesday 09 September 2009
Released globally on 2 September 2009, the report Voices from the Ground: Landmine and Explosive Remnants of War Survivors Speak Out on Victim Assistance provides a review of progress in victim assistance – as seen by the people directly affected – against the commitments made by States Parties.
Aynalem Zenebe from Mekele, Ethiopia, doing her homework. Credit: Gaël Turine / VU for Handicap International, 2008
The report was prepared by Handicap International Belgium with support from the ICBL, the government of Austria and the government of Norway, and includes questionnaires and data from 1,645 survivors in 25 mine-affected countries.
Voices from the Ground reports that survivors are rarely included in decisions and activities destined to benefit them. It indicates that survivors are left to battle discrimination and have to compete with many other vulnerable groups for a limited number of services. Despite improvements in medical care and physical rehabilitation, most survivors still have to fall back on their families and friends for support and by far the biggest need is for employment and educational opportunities.
The authors of the report draw a number of lessons based on survey answers:
1. Survivors know best what they need, so always include them in coordination, planning, implementation and monitoring of
VA/disability issues.
2. Survivors need more than basic medical care and rehabilitation to make their lives whole. Ensure that all types of services are equally developed and accessible when and where needed.
3. Progress is about coordination, monitoring and the practical use of the resources states have, rather than those they would like
to have.
4. Those responsible for coordination need to be in the best position to get the job done.
5. The international community needs to continue to listen to affected states and provide them with more and better financial and technical assistance.
The full report is available online at www.handicap-international.be. It includes detailed country-by-country information, analysis on the lessons listed above, suggestions for the way forward and a series of recommended actions to be taken at the national and international levels.
