Tajikistan takes stock of the wellbeing of landmine survivors in the context of broader disability efforts

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Dushanbe and Geneva – Tajikistan, one of 28 States Parties of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention that is responsible for significant number of landmine survivors, is taking stock of efforts to guarantee the rights of persons with disabilities, including landmine survivors, at a two-day workshop in Dushanbe.

“As a State Party to Convention, Tajikistan has agreed that our efforts to assist victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war should be integrated into broader national policies, plans and legal frameworks related to human rights, disability, health, education, employment, development and poverty reduction,” said Reykhan Muminova, Victim Assistance Officer with the United Nations Development Programme in Tajikistan.

“In mid-2013 the total number of persons with disabilities in Tajikistan registered by the former Ministry of Labour and Social Protection was more than 165,000; according to official data, the national disability prevalence rate is approximately 2%.”

“Tajikistan aims to identify how all national stakeholders can contribute to progress towards the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities including landmine and other explosive remnants of war survivors in Tajik society, on an equal basis to others,” said Paramdeep Mtharu, a specialist with the Convention’s Implementation Support Unit, which serves as technical advisor for the workshop.

Participants of the National Stakeholders Dialogue on Victim Assistance and Disability Rights: “Promoting the rights of Persons with Disabilities through inclusive policies, systems and services,” include government ministries responsible for disability issues, and non-governmental, international and disabled persons’ organisations, including the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Women.

Funding for the workshop is being provided by a European Union Council Decision, which is intended to further the Convention’s humanitarian objectives including promoting the well-being and the rights of landmine survivors, their families and affected communities.

Representatives of Tajikistan and most of other mine-affected countries will meet once again in a global conference on assisting landmine and other explosive remnants of war victims and survivors in the context of disability rights and other domains.

Bridges between Worlds takes place in Medellin, Colombia on 3-4 April, and is partly sponsored by the European Union.

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For press inquiries, contact: Laila Rodriguez press(at)apminebanconvention.org, +41 (0) 22 730 9350. Find the Convention on Facebook, Flickr and Twitter.