Printed from: www.icbl.org/Treaty/MBT/Annual-Meetings/7MSP/Old/icrbd
On Tuesday, 19 September 2006, an event sponsored by the state of New Zealand and Landmine Survivors Network was held on the occasion of the Seventh Meeting of States Parties.
The discussion focused on how the newly adopted Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities can act as a tool to further
7MSP, 19 September 2006.Photo by Sari Galapo.
victim assistance for landmine survivors. This convention was adopted only a short time ago, on 25 August 2006, by the Ad Hoc Committee of the United Nations’ General Assembly.
The discussion panel was chaired by Dr. Flavio Delponte, Switzerland’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, and included speeches by Ambassador Don MacKay, New Zealand’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Assad Omer, Afghanistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, and Mr. Jerry White, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Landmine Survivors Network.
Ambassador MacKay noted that approximately 650 million people, 10 per cent of the world’s population, suffer from disabilities. According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2006, up to 500,000 people have survived mine accidents and live with disabilities as a consequence. He also stated that this new Convention is essential, as there remains a need today for people with disabilities to be fully included within society and for stereotypes to be eradicated.
Ambassador Omer spoke of the importance of this new Convention for mine affected states such as Afghanistan. He noted that the Convention will reinforce the duties of governments towards their citizen with disabilities.
The final speaker, Mr. Jerry White, reiterated the purpose of the Convention, “to ensure the full, effective and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by persons with disabilities.” This new Convention, once it has entered into force, will be a great instrument to promote and advance victim assistance to landmine survivors specifically. “The challenges faced by landmine victims are similar to those faced by others with disabilities,” noted the chair Dr. Delponte.
Mr. White also noted the compelling similarities between the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He remarked that survivor participation is essential to both conventions, as clearly demonstrated by the powerful slogan: “Nothing about us without us.”