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Through this treaty, state responsibility for
assistance to mine victims is highlighted. It also constitutes a
supplementary means for the implementation of international
humanitarian law and international human rights law. Under such law,
States would have binding obligations, which they should perform in
good faith, to prevent landmine injuries to individuals and to make
accommodations for those injured. Moreover, Article 6 of the Mine
Ban Treaty calls on States Parties to do their utmost to provide
"care and rehabilitation and social and economic reintegration of
mine victims."
A humanitarian response to what the ICRC calls a
"worldwide epidemic of injuries", covers in fact broader needs in
public health. During the past year, the WHO, ICRC, UNICEF, ICBL and
some states parties have developed working papers and guidelines for
mine victim assistance. In the resolution WHA 51.8 "A Concerted
Public Health Response to Anti-Personnel Mines" and related plan of
action, the WHO calls for an integrated public health approach in
dealing with mine victims with emphasis on the health sector.
Today, state parties working in partnership with
civil society, including ICBL member's and other NGOs, humanitarian
agencies, primarily ICRC, WHO and UNICEF, and persons with
disabilities, encourage the establishment of an international
Strategic Framework to guide the work of a broad alliance of
stakeholders in ensuring compliance with the spirit and letter of
the Mine Ban Treaty.
This strategic framework will be further elaborated
by the committee of experts during the intersessional period.
2. The situation today
In many countries, the health infrastructure has
virtually collapsed as a result of many years of conflict. Moreover,
the care and rehabilitation of victims of landmines put a
disproportionate burden on already weakened national health systems.
In the last decade, projects to help mine victims
have focused mainly on awareness campaigns, medical care, physical
rehabilitation, but less on psychological recovery, and social and
economic reintegration. Some data was also gathered to describe the
"epidemic" in statistical terms.
Resources are now being mobilized to assist victims
of landmines and strengthen the health infrastructure of
mine-affected countries. However, humanitarian agencies, donors,
NGOs and victims are frustrated by the lack of progress in getting
urgently needed resources to the field. The main challenges for
victim assistance include:
- need for access to victims during conflict and post-conflict
periods;
- need for integration between assistance programs and national
health policy ;
- need for adequate funding ;
- need for transparency and coordination among governments ,
communities and
service providers;
- need for long-term planning with developmental perspective;
- need for true national ownership;
- need for political and societal support to individuals and
their families for social and economic reintegration.
3. Purpose of the "Strategic Framework"
An adequate response to mine victims should be
conceived on the basis of a Strategic Framework, involving
all parties concerned at different levels. The response to mine
victims has to be an integral part of comprehensive national
reconstruction and development policies.
The Strategic Framework's primary aim is to
facilitate the inter-sectoral integration among assistance programs,
donors, governmental including public health and social services and
non-governmental agencies, at national, subnational and community
levels. Achieving a more balanced distribution of resources,
strengthening the capacity of affected countries for planning and
execution of programs, and encouraging sustainable, longer-term
interventions are the main goals of this strategy. Assisting mine
victims must be a coherent process that unfolds over a period of
time and takes into account different needs at different stages of
the victim's post-traumatic recovery and social reintegration.
To realize an integrated approach, an assessment
and analysis of the prevailing situation must be carried out. It is
essential to understand how resources are allocated and distributed
now to identify where there are gaps or overlaps in existing
assistance programs. The attached draft matrix outlines the
connection between the different assistance programs and the
national health care systems.
It is expected that this "strategic framework"
would be used by government and civil society partners. The findings
of the assessment and analysis would be integrated into national
development plans for the health and social welfare sectors.
4. Method
The matrix based on the traditional public health
approach covers the main categories and stages of assistance to mine
victims. First, it looks at mechanisms for surveillance and data
collection to assess the scope and size of the problem. Then it
outlines prevention-related activities, pre- and hospital medical
care. Physical rehabilitation, psychological recovery and social
reintegration follow. Finally, the matrix covers economic
integration and institutional support for persons with disabilities.
The contribution of civil society and non-governmental
organizations, and the work of the national Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies, will also be included.
Thus, the information gathered covers the entire
range of assistance programs that could serve victims of landmines
as well as all persons with disabilities.
Based on the findings, new strategies can be
developed in order to channel urgently needed technical and
financial resources to community-based programs in mine-affected
countries. As a general principle, transparency, quality control,
community participation, and quick translation of information into
humanitarian action must characterize the process at all stages.
To assure national ownership and government
involvement, responsibility for preparing a matrix and implementing
strategy must lie with the country concerned, and in close
collaboration with all relevant organizations. Health or Social
Affairs Ministries would usually lead an inter-ministerial effort
through the entire process.
5. The Future
Mozambique welcomes the opportunity to pilot-test
the proposed Strategic Framework this year. Other countries will
also be able to use the Strategic Framework to track
assistance programs and identify new resources and funding needed to
implement effective victim assistance.
To make this a reality, a political and financial
commitment from donor countries and mine-affected countries alike is
needed. Collaboration among governments, relevant UN agencies and
nongovernmental organizations, including ICBL members, is essential
for the success of the proposed strategy. In the end, national
ownership will ensure long-term sustainability.
Providing national health and social service
systems with the means to take care of victims of anti-personnel
mines will necessarily have positive consequences for all victims of
violence and traumatic injuries. A well-functioning health system
will provide care not only for mine victims, but also for all
persons with disabilities and mine-affected communities.
Following the First Meeting of States Parties in
Maputo, the Inter-sessional Experts Committee on Mine Victim
Assistance will continue to work on developing this Strategic
Framework. Geneva, where the Center for Humanitarian De-mining is
located, has been suggested as a platform for discussion globally on
efforts to implement this Framework for victim assistance.
The end goal is to provide urgently needed care to
mine-affected communities, strengthening local capacity to deliver
health and social services. The challenge is for all governments,
international organizations and NGOs to do their utmost to
contribute resources and make long-term commitments to alleviate
human suffering in mine-affected communities.
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