Parallel Programme for Victim Assistance Experts

TUESDAY 22 MAY

Opening of the Parallel Programme for Victim Assistance Experts

The programme was opened by the Co-Chairs of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance (Algeria and Croatia) and will feature the participation of the President of the Eleventh Meeting of the States Parties (11MSP), H.E. Prak Sokhonn of Cambodia.

Session One: Coordination in the Implementation of National Plans

Action #24 of the Cartagena Action Plan encourages States Parties to “establish inter-ministerial / inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of relevant national plans, policies and legal frameworks and to ensure that this focal entity has the authority and resources to carry out its task”. The purpose of this discussion was to highlight challenges that have been encountered in the implementation of national plans and to identify ways to overcome these challenges.

• Scene-setting presentation: Coordination in the Implementation of National Plans, Claude Tardif, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) PDF 44KB
• Exchange of experiences on coordination. Participants were asked to come prepared to share their experiences and to address the following questions:
  
  • What are the main challenges encountered in ensuring a coordinated approach to the implementation of national plans?
  • Are the efforts of all relevant actors contributing to / being carried out in the context of a national plan?
  • How can coordination be improved?
  • How can international and non-governmental organizations strengthen national ownership and further contribute to the fulfilment of national objectives?
  • What can be done to ensure that landmine survivors and other persons with disabilities are involved in implementation? 

Session Two: Monitoring the Implementation of National Plans

Action #28 of the Cartagena Action Plan encourages states to “monitor and evaluate progress regarding victim assistance within broader national policies, plans and legal frameworks and to do this on an ongoing basis”. Furthermore, States have committed to report on the progress made, including resources allocated to achieving their objectives to address the rights and needs of mine victims. The purpose of this discussion was to highlight challenges that have been encountered in monitoring the implementation of national plans and to identify ways to overcome these challenges.

Participants were asked to come prepared to address questions such as: Are all relevant actors involved in monitoring implementation? How is implementation measured, in terms of outputs, outcomes and impact?

• Scene-setting presentation: Monitoring the Implementation of National Plans, Loren Persi and Margaret Arach Orech, International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) PDF 310KB

• Exchange of experiences on monitoring. Participants were asked to come prepared to share their experiences and to address the following questions:

Introduction to Participatory exercise on monitoring the implementation of national plans

Group Work

Participants broke up into three small working groups in order to undertake an exercise on monitoring the implementation of national action plans.

Feedback from Groups

Participants reconvened to share the outcomes of their group work.

• Parallel Programme for Victim Assistance Experts | List of Participants PDF 418KB

• List of National Victim Assistance / Disability Plans PDF 271KB
• Pictures of the Victim Assistance Parallel Programme