Assistance to mine survivors
In fulfilling the
aims of the Ottawa Convention (2000) and the
Nairobi Action Plan (2004) in relation to
landmine victim assistance, the Government of
Tajikistan’s victim assistance objectives and
plan of action for the period 2005-2009 was
created in May 2006 and subsequently signed with
the national Commission on Implementation of
International Humanitarian Law (CIIHL) in July
2006.
Within the 6-Part list
of priorities accepted by the Ottawa Convention
States Parties Standing Committee on Victim
Assistance, TMAC’s Victim Assistance Program seeks
to:
-
Define the scale
of the challenge, identify needs, monitor the
responses to needs and evaluate the responses
(Part 1);
-
Reduce deaths by
stabilizing medical conditions and minimizing
physical impairments in emergency settings that
could result from injury (Part 2);
-
To restore
maximum physical functional ability for landmine
survivors, including the provision of
appropriate assistance devices (Part 3);
-
To assist
landmine survivors, including children, to
resume their role in the community by helping
them cope with psychosocial adjustment issues
and assisting them to regain and maintain a
healthy and positive outlook on life (Part 4);
-
To assist
landmine survivors to either return to their
pre-injury occupation, or prepare for and find
suitable employment (Part 5);
-
To establish,
implement and enforce laws and public policies
that guarantee the rights of landmine survivors
and other persons with disabilities (Part 6).
Our Assistance to Mine
Survivors Project is currently being implemented
within the framework of cooperation between Ministry
of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP),
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the
Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan (RCST). This
project assists disabled people, including mine
survivors, to be provided with prosthesis and of
medical assistance in the National Orthopedic Centre
(NOC). The NOC provides transport, meals and
accommodation for people during their treatment in
Dushanbe.
Our Income Generation
Project implemented by RCST, delivers breeding pairs
of goats or sheep to landmine survivors in three
districts of Sugd region and three districts of
Rasht valley. This is done with the view to
establishing small-scale livestock enterprises for
the family with one offspring being returned to the
RCST to redistribute and expand the project. There
is necessity to extend this project in future in
order to cover all mine survivors. This project is
currently in its 2nd phase.
In cooperation with
MLSP, ICRC, UNDP, RCST and Canadian Mine Centre, a
Summer Camp was organized for 32 mine survivors in
Romit valley of Vahdat district in July 2005, which
was extremely successful and helped the survivors to
regain their positive outlook on life and provided
an opportunity for them to have at least some
limited social and psychological rehabilitation.
Despite initial funding constraints, the 2006 Summer
Camp Project is underway and is currently in the
preparatory phase. It will be held in September
2006.
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TMAC has recruited a
Victims’ Assistance Officer, whose primary
responsibility is to work closely with MLSP, MoH and
other government ministries and departments, as well
as UNDP, UNICEF, ICRC, RCST, WHO, NGOs and Disabled
Persons Organizations to explore and develop new
initiatives and fund-raising mechanisms and assist
with capacity development. This officer has so far
in 2006 traveled to contaminated areas in the
Central and Sugd regions and has begun the task of
conducting a Needs Assessment of mine victims in
these areas.
In April 2006, the
national Victim Assistance Working Group (VAWG) was
established. It consists of ministerial
representatives, landmine survivors, as well as
international and national NGOs. The first
quarterly progress meeting was successfully held on
28 July 2006. The VAWG continues to meet on a
regular basis.
National database
records continue to be developed. TMAC database
system now contains information on 272 people killed
and 292 injured and 272 since 1992. In 2006
there have been 16 human casualties (5 fatalities
and 11 injuries).
more
Mine Victims
Pictures
See
Victim Assistance Officer report
