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Day 2 | Tuesday 19 December

10. Panel "Keeping People at the Heart of the Convention: Effective Victim Assistance"

The panel looked back at how the Convention came to successfully include provisions for victim assistance in the text of the Convention and early efforts to implement victim assistance. Panellists discussed challenges that remain and gaps in assistance for victim assistance efforts noting that more needs to be done to ensure that the Convention delivers on its promise to mine victims. The panel further explored specific areas of victim assistance, in particular that of peer support and the importance of these activities in improving the lives and wellbeing of survivors.

The panel was opened by HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium, Special Envoy of the Convention, and facilitated by H.E. Beatriz Londoño Soto, Ambassador of Colombia to the United Nations in Geneva and Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance and featured the following speakers:

  • Kenneth R. Rutherford, Director of the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery
  • Elke Hottentot, Victim Assistance Technical Advidor, Handicap International
  • Firoz Alizada, Campaigns and Communications Manager, International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munitions Coalition

In addition, the ICRC delivered a statement to highlight the activities undertaken by the ICRC to increase the availability of and accessibility of rehabilitation services.

9. Informal presentation of requests subnmitted under Article 5 and the analysis of these requests (continued)

The following delegations shared views with respect to the request submitted by Thailand: Cambodia and the ICBL.

The following State Party which had submitted a request for extension of its Article 5 mine clearance deadline presented its request: Zimbabwe.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5, introduced the analysis that had been prepared with respect to this request.

The following delegation shared views with respect to the request submitted by Zimbabwe: ICBL. 

The following State Party which had previously indicated that it would present a request for extension of its Article 5 deadline made a statement: Ukraine. 

The following delegations shared views with respect to the statement made by Ukraine: ICBL, Sweden, Poland, Ireland, Estonia, Costa Rica, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico, Austria, Australia, Canada, Chile, Netherlands, Colombia.

The Chair of the Committee on Article 5 delivered its concluding remarks.

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7. General exchange of views (continued)

The following States Parties took the floor to deliver general statements: Spain, Indonesia, Mozambique, Iraq, Netherlands, Slovenia, Belgium, El Salvador, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Cambodia, Guatemala, Zambia, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Estonia, South Africa and Panama, on behalf of the Human Security Network.

In addition, the following State Party provided its general statement in written form: Ukraine.

The following States no party took the floor to deliver general statements: India, Pakistan and China.  

The following organisations delivered general statements: MAG, the Halo Trust and UNMAS on behalf of the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action.

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11. Consideration of the general status and operation of the Convention

11.a. Assisting the victims: Conclusions and Recommendations related to the mandate of the Committee on Victim Assistance

The Chair of the Committee on Victim Assistance presented conclusions and recommendations related to the Committee’s mandate.

The following States Parties that have indicated that they are responsible for significant numbers of landmine survivors provided updates on steps they have taken to implement Actions #12 through #18 of the Maputo Action Plan:  Afghanistan, Peru, Serbia, Jordan, Cambodia, Croatia, Colombia, Chile, Tajikistan, Iraq, Thailand and Sudan.

In addition, the following State Party provided its statement on victim assistance in a written form: Somalia.

The following other delegations shared views or information on matters concerning victim assistance: European Union, Canada and Slovenia.  

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