Printed from: www.icbl.org/Treaty/MBT/Annual-Meetings/10MSP/summary-va
Twenty-three States Parties with significant numbers of survivors presented their activities and the challenges faced in implementing the victim assistance actions (Actions 23-33) of the Cartagena Action Plan (CAP).
Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the creation of community-based rehabilitation initiatives on physical rehabilitation and mental health, and highlighted cooperation efforts with various NGOs. Sudan highlighted survivor participation and announced a High Disability Council was established in Sudan in October 2010. Cambodia reported improved coordination and launching community-based rehabilitation guidelines. Albania, Senegal, Thailand and Uganda reported that their victim assistance plans were revised or redrafted according to CAP principles. Albania also announced that it will hold an international victim assistance meeting in May 2011, while Senegal reported the adoption of a new law on social rehabilitation and noted that prosthetics production increased with support from India. Iraq announced that the Directorate for Landmines is attempting to carry out a data survey of casualties. Afghanistan pointed out plans to extend a successful three-year inclusive education pilot project and to adjust a monitoring system for the national disability plan. Chad and DR Congo reported drafting victim assistance plans that were pending adoption. DR Congo also noted establishing a national commission for the rehabilitation of survivors. Guinea Bissau reported that a Federation of Persons with Disabilities was founded in October 2010. Serbia noted that laws and regulations adopted in 2009 increased the availability of economic inclusion to persons with disabilities and provision of assistive devices to disabled veterans. Tajikistan stated that it had supported the establishment of two survivors' groups, and that the CAP was translated into the local language. Jordan highlighted a survey of almost all survivors conducted in 2010 in cooperation with Survivor Corps, the inclusion of victim assistance goals in a new five-year mine action plan, the drafting of national victim assistance standards and the launch of a large victim assistance project in September 2010. Nicaragua announced the reform of its 1995 Law on Persons with Disabilities, aligning it with the obligations of the UN CRPD, and the doubling of psychological support to survivors in the first half of 2010. Colombia reported developing a multi-stakeholder national victim assistance committee to develop a national victim assistance plan, and supporting representatives of mine survivors' organizations to attend meetings. Burundi noted it was developing an action plan including persons with disabilities. Angola announced that a national survivor registration project was started in July 2010 in two provinces and that there were initiatives to establish survivors' organizations. Croatia provided an update on the process of creating a comprehensive survivor database and the function of a new victim assistance coordination body. Ethiopia reported on disability sector coordination and the development of a national plan of action for persons with disabilities (2010-2020) awaiting endorsement. Peru outlined relevant recent legislation and a victim assistance plan that included the participation of survivor associations. Mozambique reported that survivors are assisted through the disability framework and described efforts to assist persons with disabilities more broadly. El Salvador noted an increased number of casualties due to data reclassification and the payment of overdue financial compensation for survivors.
The ICBL made a statement on progress made by States Parties in implementing the CAP Actions # 23-#33, with a focus on assessing the needs of survivors, victim assistance coordination, survivor inclusion, and increasing access to services. The work of ICBL victim assistance focal points in advancing the work and supporting states' endeavours was highlighted, as was a call for states to fulfill their commitments on resource mobilization by presenting victim assistance plans and needs according to CAP Action #34.Incoming victim assistance co-chair Australia reported that it will produce a handbook to enhance understanding on assisting survivors in the context of disarmament, disability and development, Mexico, Norway, Slovenia, Guatemala, France, Switzerland also spoke as did Turkey (as outgoing victim assistance co-chair) and Nigeria. Statements on victim assistance were also made by ICRC and UNMAS.
Held on 29 and 30 November, the Parallel Programme for Victim Assistance Experts gathered victim assistance experts from the majority of countries with significant numbers of survivors, national victim assistance focal points of the ICBL and others. The focus was on community-based rehabilitation (CBR), linked to the Geneva launch of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Guidelines on Community Based Rehabilitation. Presenters from the WHO, the International Labour Organization and the International Disability and Development Consortium gave overviews of CBR guideline components relevant to victim assistance. The ICBL informed participants on the relevance of the Cartagena and Vientiane Action Plans to CBR, and ICBL victim assistance focal points Jesus Martinez and Bekele Gonfa gave a demonstration of the usefulness of peer support. On 2 December, a field trip to meet with the Swiss organization Plusport at the World Cycling Center in Aigle highlighted methods for providing inclusive leisure and sports opportunities.