Standing Committee on Victim Assistance, 16-17 June 2005

We were very pleased that the co-chairs of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance, Nicaragua and Norway, ensured that the issue of Survivor Assistance was addressed in three of the five days of these inter-sessionals.

On Wednesday, the Co-Chairs hosted a lunchtime briefing on the themes of Care and Rehabilitation and Economic Integration. We heard from Yan Van Heng, of Trauma Care Foundation, Cambodia on the issue of care and rehabilitation, Prasanna Kuruppu, a Sri Lankan mine survivor and researcher for Landmine Monitor, who spoke on social reintegration. Finally, Sheree Bailey introduced an initiative of Standing Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada entitled 101 Great Ideas for the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors. (Available at www.standingtallaustralia.org)

The ICBL’s Working Group on Victim Assistance (WGVA) also held a meeting to discuss objectives and activities to implement those objectives between now and the 6th Meeting of States Parties in Croatia at the end of the year.

1. ICBL Presentations

In her capacity as co-chair of the WGVA, Laurence Cote presented the ICBL’s statement on Survivor Assistance, emphasizing that “victim assistance, in its context as part of the broader disability and development issue, is a long term business. Unlike mine clearance and stockpile destruction, the needs will never disappear. Progress is being made but more must be done. The benefits are likely to be greater and more sustainable when services for mine survivors and other people with disabilities are provided within existing social, educational, health and labor structures, and where procedures are established to permit effective participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes. “ The WGVA further emphasized that “there should also be specific disability policies including empowering persons with disabilities through strengthening organizations of disabled people, and ensuring access to appropriate rehabilitation facilities and aids.”

During the entire session on Victim Assistance, Sheree Bailey, in her capacity as expert respondent for the co-chairs, noted that the issues being discussed were also applicable to all countries with mine survivors, not just the 24 States Parties, which are the focus of the day’s discussion.

2.Concerns for the ICBL

Many countries over emphasized the lack of resources, when many issues could be solved by proper prioritization and inclusion of mine survivors in the design, planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of survivor assistance policy and programming. With respect to resources, while national ownership of the issue of survivor assistance is essential for sustainability, the partnership among countries, including, international donor support remains a prerequisite.

In addition, while many countries very prepared and made detailed presentations, their objectives were over ambitious and not necessarily anchored in a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound) framework, setting themselves up for future failure and unable to meet the obligations of article 6.3.

Finally, there is a continued lack of inter-sectoral and inter-agency coordination and collaboration, which leads to duplication of resources, unnecessary resource competition and failure to meet article 6.3 obligations.

3. Highlights for the ICBL

Sheree Bailey of the ICBL, was chosen as an expert to respond to the State party interventions on Survivor Assistance. This is an important recognition of ICBL expertise and contribution to keeping Survivor Assistance on the agenda.

The Victim Assistance Questionnaire, prepared by the Co-Chairs on the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance, was responded to in detail by many of the 24 State Parties. This is an important sign of commitment as the questionnaire will serve as the basis for the development of national action plans on Survivor Assistance.

The WGVA produced three documents, which will serve as good tools for our work. 1. Landmine Victim Assistance in 2004: Overview of the Situation in 24 States Parties (Standing Tall Australia and Handicap International); 2. 101 Great Ideas for the Socio-Economic Reintegration of Mine Survivors (Standing Tall Australia and Mines Action Canada); and 3. National Legal Frameworks Relating to Persons with Disabilities in Heavily Mine-Affected Countries (Landmine Survivors Network).

Croatia urged States Parties to live up to their commitment under the action item 38 of the Nairobi Action Plan, (to ensure the effective integration of mine victims in the work of the Convention). Croatia noted that one of the areas of inclusion that would have been rather easy is the representation of mine survivors on State Party delegations, not as a show and tell victims, but as experts where appropriate.

4. Quote of the Day

“2009 should not be seen as an end point. We are the beginning of a process. The objectives should be SMART. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. While we have heard a lot of objectives, we should not think that all can be achieved by 2009, but rather States should focus on what can realistically be achieved.” Sheree Bailey, ICBL

ICBL statement on Victim Assistance by Laurence Cote, Geneva 17 June