Reflections on Funding Sustainability
Author/Origin: Sheree Bailey baileySPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org |
(Tuesday 04 February 2003 ) Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration (SC-VA)
Sheree Bailey
Landmine Monitor Victim Assistance Research Coordinator
[Handicap International Belgium]
e-mail: SPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org">baileySPAMFLTER@SPATMFLTERicbl.org
4 February 2003, Geneva
Yesterday afternoon we heard many interesting presentations during the session on mobilizing resources to achieve the humanitarian aims of the Mine Ban Treaty. The focus, however, in the majority of presentations, was on the mobilization of resources for mine clearance. Today, I want to shift the focus to analyzing the resources available for victim assistance activities.
Over the past few years Landmine Monitor has identified at least 42 mine-affected countries where one or more aspects of victim assistance are inadequate. It is apparent that in many mine-affected countries additional international assistance is needed in providing for the care and rehabilitation of mine survivors.
Article 6.3 of the Mine Ban Treaty, provides the clear obligation that “Each State in a position to do so shall provide assistance for the care and rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration, of mine victims....”
We know from previous discussions in this Standing Committee that landmine survivor assistance is a complex and long-term issue. Landmine victim assistance includes emergency care and evacuation, continuing medical care, prosthetics and physical rehabilitation, and social and economic reintegration. The establishment of effective, sustainable programs to address the needs of mine victims requires financial and human resources to build infrastructure and ensure adequately trained health care providers.
What resources have been made available to assist mine-affected States in addressing the needs of landmine victims?
Precise, comprehensive and comparable figures for victim assistance funding are difficult to obtain. Some States do not provide specific amounts for victim assistance but rather consider victim assistance as an integrated part of humanitarian mine action. In other instances, some States do not specify amounts for victim assistance at all with the view that landmine victims are reached through bilateral development cooperation and other contributions. Another problem is fluctuations in exchange rates and variations in reporting periods. In addition, many victim assistance programs are carried out by non government organizations who receive funding from various sources including governments, private donors and charitable foundations.
Nevertheless, the data provided today is intended to give an indication of the trends in victim assistance funding provided by donor States, as compared to total mine action funding, from the information available for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001. Complete data is not yet available for 2002. The sources of information used to compile the figures are the annual Landmine Monitor Reports, the Mine Action Investment database, the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance to Mine Action, reports of Slovenian International Trust Fund for Mine Clearance and Mine Victims Assistance, ICRC Mine Action Special Reports, the Leahy War Victims Fund, and other relevant documents available to Landmine Monitor.
As can be seen from the graph, over the three year period, victim assistance funding from all donor States remained relatively static. In 1999, identifiable victim assistance funding amounted to $28.5 million or 11.9% of total mine action funding. In 2000, the figure rose to $29.7 million but the percentage dropped slightly to 11.5% of mine action funding. In 2001, victim assistance funding dropped to $28.7 million but the percentage rose marginally to 11.6% of total mine action funding.
Comparison of Victim Assistance Funding to Total Mine Action Funding 1999 to 2001
When considering only victim assistance funding from major States Parties donors, a different trend emerges. In 1999, identifiable victim assistance funding amounted to $12 million or 9% of total mine action funding. In 2000, the figure rose to $18 million or 13% of mine action funding. In 2001, victim assistance funding dropped to $15.6 million or 11.6% of total mine action funding.
Comparison of Victim Assistance Funding to Total Mine Action Funding 1999 to 2001 – States Parties (Major Donors)
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