Author(s):
Kirsten Young <kirsten@landminesurvivors.org> .
Geneva,
Wednesday 10 May 2006
The Survivor assistance Standing Committee Meeting took place over one and a half days on 8 and 9 May 2006.
ICBL Presentation: The ICBL had three presentations, two delivered by survivors, and one delivered by Handicap International in their capacity as co-chair of the victims assistance working group. All three presentations provided a reality check on what governments had presented in their Victim Assistance Questionnaires, particularly on the status of survivor assistance in each of the 24 countries that identified themselves as being most in need of survivor assistance.
Highlights for ICBL
- Uganda’s announcement of the establishment of a post of Victim Assistance advisor at the highest levels, in the Prime Minister’s Office.
- Sudan’s acknowledgment that the draft Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will be a key instrument in helping them undertake legislative reform in the field of victim assistance.
- Publication of “reality check” tool: Landmine Victim Assistance in 2005: Overview of the Situation in 24 States Parties, Standing Tall Australia and HI.
Concerns for ICBL
- Only 16 of the 24 States Parties presented their plans to fulfill their survivor assistance obligations by 2009. [1] The majority were unimpressive.
- The majority of the plans do not present concrete and measurable plans on survivor assistance, but remain vague policy statements.
- Only 10 of the 24 States Parties took advantage of the ISU’s sponsorship programme, whereby specialists in Victim Assistance could be sponsored to attend the meeting. Most of the delegates were either from the mission, or not survivor assistance experts. Of the 10 that were approved for sponsorship, only 7 attended the meetings.
Quote of the Day
“If you spend money on landmine survivors, it is an investment.” Firoz Ali Aizada , survivor participant on the delegation of Afghanistan. (See Action 38, Nairobi Action Plan calling for inclusion of mine survivors in the work of the Convention, including participation in official delegations.)
ICBL Statements were delivered by: Jesus Martinez, Raising the Voices, Omara Khan, Raising the Voices, and Katleen Maes, Landmine Monitor
[1] Afghanistan, Albania, Angola, Chad, Colombia, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Nicaragua, Peru, Serbia-Montenegro, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Uganda, and Yemen.
