ICBL Statement on Victim Assistance

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Good morning/afternoon Co-chairs and delegates. My name is Margaret Arach Orech, Ambassador to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Member of Uganda's National Council for Disability, Director of the Uganda Landmine Survivor's Association and a landmine survivor.

In December of 2009, I, along with hundreds of other survivors from around the world, committed to four actions to promote the rights of survivors in the next five years. In Cartagena, through the Survivors' Call to Action, we agreed to:

1. Share our first hand knowledge to improve victim assistance
2. Participate in planning, implementing and monitoring the MBT
3. Contribute to the provision of services, including peer support, for survivors and other persons with disabilities; and
4. Work to promote the universalization of the MBT, the CCM and the CRPD

One and a half years later, I am proud to report that survivors and 30 ICBL-CMC Victim Assistance Focal Points, many of whom belong to survivors' representative organizations, have been hard at work to make progress on each one of these actions; 24 Victim Assistance Focal Points are from States Parties. We have worked with government coordination bodies to enhance victim assistance and contribute to the development of national plans in 23 states. In at least 29 countries, both States Parties and states not party, survivors have been involved in implementing initiatives for survivors and other persons with disabilities, and we suspect this is true in many more states. When called on, we served on the delegations to the Intersessional Meetings or Meetings of States Parties sharing our first hand knowledge on victim assistance and broader disability issues. And, at the start of 2011, ICBL-CMC victim Assistance Focal Points from 16 of the most affected states drew up SMART advocacy plans to promote implementation and universalization of the MBT, CCM and CRPD in our own countries.

We recognize that we have much more work to do and will continue to advance our efforts over the next three and a half years to fulfill the commitments that we have made. But we cannot do it alone, just as States cannot do it alone. In Cartagena we also called on States Parties, and in particular affected states, to focus on a number of priorities. These were in line with, or went beyond, the victim assistance Actions of the Cartagena Action Plan. We applaud those States that have taken their own Cartagena Action Plan commitments, as seriously as we have taken ours. And we know that States, too, can do more.

Only a handful of countries have begun, or completed, victim surveys or assessments of survivors needs in recent years. Of those assessments carried out under the CAP, only those by Algeria, Angola, Jordan, and Peru have been national, while others have covered more limited geographic areas. Some of these have shared collected data with all relevant stakeholders; others have yet to do so. We call on those countries who have not yet undertaken needs assessments to act, and for those which have done so, to disseminate and use the information in program planning.

Currently, 18 states parties have coordinating mechanisms for victim assistance. Some are more active than others. We will continue to support and participate in these mechanisms and hope to be part of many more. We will continue to call on our governments to empower these mechanisms and ensure effective cooperation with CRPD focal points, where possible.

A lack of accessibility, both physical and social, is one of the greatest challenges for survivors. The importance of improving accessibility is underscored by actions 31 and 32 of the CAP. And yet, too many of my fellow survivors still are unable to access appropriate, high quality services where and when they need them. In some cases, due to security issues or the closure of international programs, the problem has even worsened. We also recognize that there are a few strong programs to decentralize services, train professionals and improve physical accessibility in some countries. I am pleased that my own country, Uganda, developed new Accessibility Standards last year, in cooperation with survivors and civil society, and believe this can serve as a good example for other countries. We ask that affected states also focus more on our accessibility needs, as was highlighted in the victim assistance parallel program. We have contributed our ideas, experience and time in identifying solutions through a session on survivors' perspectives on accessibility.

The CAP highlights the importance of inclusive and non-discriminatory victim assistance, and presents several action points that relate specifically to gender and age. Thus far, few States Parties have reported on their efforts to provide gender and age sensitive services. We call on all governments to end all discrimination against and among survivors and to ensure that their victim assistance activities take into consideration the specific needs and priorities of women, girls, boys and men.

Affected states must know what the resource needs are in order to address identified needs and effectively engage other States Parties in the position to provide support. Action 34 of the CAP obliged affected States Parties, by the end of 2010, to develop or update national plans and indicate national resources available, while also demonstrating needs for international cooperation and assistance. At the 10th Meeting of States Parties, just three countries: El Salvador, Tajikistan and Jordan, fulfilled Action 34 on time. We have listened to your statements this week to hear further updates and are pleased that Burundi and Senegal have also shared this information. This is a critical first step to ensuring adequate funding and technical support and we call on remaining states parties to share plans and budgets as soon as possible and no later than the 11MSP.

Finally, we call on States Parties to implement CAP Action 65 by building synergies with other relevant instruments, such as the such as the CCM and the CRPD, and extending victim assistance obligations and recognizing the rights of victims in emerging arms control instruments, such as the Arms Trade Treaty currently being negotiated.

The priorities we identified through the Survivors' Call to Action still stand and will require concerted efforts and resources by States and survivors working in collaboration over the next three and a half years. And, let us not forget that the promise of the Mine Ban Treaty for survivors requires a commitment for our lifetime - so, let us continue building long-term, sustainable solutions together.

Thank you.