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“Survivors are central to efforts”

  “Survivors are central to efforts.” Inthis simple sentence, Australia summarizedwhy survivor inclusion is required by theConvention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) andis important in the implementation processof the convention from the beginning to theend: from planning to action and even inmonitoring and evaluation processes. Whileefforts were undertaken to involve survivors

in coordination mechanisms in general, theywere hardly involved. Survivor inclusion ismuch broader than just the involvement of some survivors at a certain moment duringthe implementation process of the CCM.Through article 7 reports on the CCM, someaffected countries demonstrated a broaderview on survivor inclusion. They mentionedproblems in including survivors and personswith disabilities in various sectors of victimassistance. In fact, real involvement of victims under the CCM can only be realized,

if the national context stimulatesparticipation of survivors and persons withdisabilities in all areas of social life.

Handicap International agrees with LaoPDR that more efforts are needed toactively involve cluster munition survivorsand their representative organizations asrequired under Article 5 of the Convention.In this context, Lao PDR stated that “theinclusion of cluster munition survivors isgreatly supported by the work of the LaoBan Advocates.” 

Inclusion of survivors within officialdelegations should be supported. HandicapInternational and the Ban Advocatescongratulate Croatia and Bosnia andHerzegovina and any other states doing so. 

Newsletter by Handicap International on Landmines and Cluster Munitions

12 September 2011, Issue 31 Psychological support and peer support

Over the years, Handicap Internationalorganized training for Ban Advocates from Albania,Afghanistan, Croatia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Lao PDR,Lebanon, Serbia, Tajikistan, Vietnam and the UnitedStates of America, including sessions onpsycho-traumatology and individual counselling. Atthe side event on psychological and psychosocialsupport during the Intersessional Standing Committeemeetings on the CCM in Geneva last June, several

survivors testified that the support of their family wascrucial. Moreover, the psychological assistancethrough individual sessions by an experienced personseemed to be most needed and useful. At the sideevent organized by Handicap International, aSudanese surgeon, who gave urgent medical care tonumerous victims, explained how necessarypsychological support is immediately after theaccident.

Walking ‘lighter’ through lifeA new limb can help a victim to walk.

Psychological support can help him to go “lighter” through life. As Pham Quy Thi, a Ban Advocate of Vietnam, once said: “After the accident I felt so heavybut after meeting with the Ban Advocates I felt solight.” Survivors all wish a new, a better and adignified life. They supported each other in theiraspirations, maybe long time before the internationalcommunity realized it should, in a professional way,give assistance to what we call ‘peer support’.Bosnia and Herzegovina and Handicap Internationalinvite all states to a side event on ‘psychological andpsychosocial support with a focus on peer support’ atthe Second Meeting of States Parties on the CCM inBeirut, Lebanon.

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On the website of Handicap International,you will find:Handicap International Updates on theConvention on Cluster Munitions, the MineBan Treaty, Survivor Inclusion, Victim Assis-tance and Victim Assistance Funding. "ForYour Information" is an HIB Update on re-ports, publications, articles, video's, films,blogs, websites etc. on the Mine Ban Treaty,the Convention on Cluster Munitions, theConvention on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities, Armed Violence in general, Sur-

vivors, Ban Advocates, Victim Assistance etc.

www.handicapinternational.be

For more information

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Contact and coordination: Hildegarde Vansintjan, Advocacy Officer, Handicap International vzw-asbl, Belgium.Phone: + 32 2 233 01 06 / Mobile: + 32 485 111 460 / Fax: + 32 2 230 60 30 / Spastraat 67 / 67, Rue de Spa / B -1000 Brussels Belgium / hildegarde.vansintjan@handicap.be

Victim Assistance Funding: more andbetter

Employment and accessibility to allservices for victims remain challenging.While mine action funding tends to de-crease, victim assistance funding shouldincrease. At the same time, more effective

ways of funding can be found. Only whenaffected states are prioritizing victim assis-tance, can donor states and organizationsrespond to it in a substantive manner. AsNorway suggested, victim assistance aswell as victim assistance funding should bediscussed in different terms than clearanceand stockpile destruction.

International Cooperation: South – South – North

All States Parties (in a position to do so and theyall are) want to contribute in some way or another tovictim assistance. At the ISC meetings in Geneva lastJune, Mexico voiced loudly the wish of Latin Americancountries – but certainly others will follow – to shareexpertise and experience with affected countries. Inter-

national organizations, like UNMAS and ICRC, as well asICBL-CMC favored a cooperation that could be called  “triangle”: South-South-North. Views can be shared onthis promising cooperation during a side event in Beirut,organized by CMC Mexico and Belgium.

Accurate reporting can improve the implementa-tion

While the first article 7 reports on the CCM reveal

interesting details on victim assistance, it’s a challengefor Belgium to make sure that an electronic version of the reporting format stimulates states to report on all  aspects and on the whole process of victim assistanceimplementation, which should include an evaluation of activities as well as information on survivor inclusion onall stages of the process. Like Lebanon and Lao PDR,states should inform concretely about their needs interms of victim assistance. The reporting format hasgreat potentiality to become an important instrument toimprove the implementation of the CCM.

Victim Assistance Funding should be presentedas such in the article 7 reports on the CCM as well as onthe MBT and states should indicate if projects covermine and/or cluster munition victims. Although victimassistance can be included in Mine Action or broader De-velopment programs, states should be able to give in-formation on any victim assistance support as such,specifying which aspect of victim assistance is coveredby the funding.

Handicap International and the Ban Advocatescall on States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Muni-tions to actively participate in the Second Meeting of States Parties and provide new and concrete informationon results. Hopefully, States not Party attending the

meeting will express their intention to adhere to theConvention without delay.

Handicap International  is an international organisation specialised in the field of disability. Non- 

governmental, non-religious, non-political and non-profit making, it works alongside people with disabili- 

ties, whatever the context, offering them assistance and supporting them in their efforts to become self- 

reliant. Since its creation, the organisation has set up programmes in approximately 60 countries and 

intervened in many emergency situations. It has eight national associations (Belgium, Canada, France,

Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States) which provide human and finan- 

cial resources, manage projects and raise awareness of Handicap International's actions and campaigns.

More: www.handicapinternational.be 

Victim from Lebanon