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Created by and for survivors, LSN empowers individuals and communities affected by landmines to recover from trauma, reclaim their lives and fulfill their rights.
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World Landmine News
Survivor Summit Declaration
November 28, 2004
Nairobi, Kenya
The Survivor Participants in this Summit,
(a) Recognising the significance of this Survivor Summit meeting of landmine survivors and States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the use, Stockpiling, Production and transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their destruction (referred to as the ”Convention”) in the context of the Nairobi Summit on a Mine-Free World, taking place on the most mine-affected continent in the world;
(b) Expressing grave concern that the continued production,
stockpiling and use of anti-personnel landmines have devastating consequences for all of humanity, most directly upon those who die or sustain serious injuries from these weapons, their families and communities, and those whose lives are threatened daily by the presence of anti-personnel mines;
(c) Recognising the importance of the Convention in a variety of spheres, including the protection of civilians in armed conflict, humanitarian assistance, peace-building, development of civil society, and human rights;
(d) Welcoming the inclusion and increased active participation of landmine survivors in Convention meetings through the “Raising the Voices” program, through the participation of landmine survivors in the local branches of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and through survivor participation as experts in the official Convention process;
(e) Recognising that to ensure a positive impact on victim assistance issues, landmine survivors must continue to have the opportunity to be actively involved in discussions and decision-making processes about policies and programmes that concern them (referred to as the “Inclusion Principle”);
(f) Recognising the important contribution of civil society through campaigning, monitoring, reporting, facilitating exchange of information, through workshops and conferences, developing guidelines and recommendations, and through active participation in the official meetings of the Convention;
(g) Recognising the positive impact of the Convention in that the annual rate of new victims is decreasing in some countries, but expressing grave concern about the increasing total number of victims;
(h) Recognising the improvement of victim assistance in certain countries, including a more informed dialogue among the stakeholders but Noting with concern that due emphasis has not been accorded to victim assistance by all States Parties and that States Parties need to improve in fulfilling these commitments;
(i) Recognising the crucial importance of the Nairobi Summit on a Mine Free World and its Action Plan for 2005-2009, which will chart the course for action to fulfil the Convention’s core humanitarian obligations, including sustaining and increasing commitments to long-term assistance for landmine survivors;
(j) Emphasizing the responsibilities of affected States as well as the responsibilities of non- affected States to set standards, dedicate more long-term resources to reach those standards, and improve the quality and sustainability of victim assistance.
Survivors call upon States Parties to:
(a) integrate landmine survivor assistance into national health and rehabilitation policies and development programmes;
(b) recognise that as a necessary condition of adequate victim assistance, landmine survivors must be treated on an equal basis with all other members of society and protected from discrimination on the basis of their disability in accordance with recognised civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights;
(c) ensure that social and economic reintegration policies, plans, and programmes aim to achieve what landmine survivors say is most important to them, including access to opportunities to earn a living and be accepted as part of society;
(d) prioritise the development and implementation of local, national, and international laws and policies to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities;
(e) ensure that landmine survivors are given opportunities for active involvement in the design, development, and implementation of National Plans of Action as well as policies and legislation that concern them, and that this is done in partnership with landmine survivors in recognition of their knowledge and expertise, otherwise known as the Inclusion Principle;
(f) afford landmine survivors opportunities to participate on all levels of the universalisation and implementation of the Convention; including through their participation in formal and informal Convention meetings at the national, regional and international levels;
(g) develop or enhance national mine victim data collection capacities to support the needs of programme planners and resource mobilization, as well as ensure that landmine survivors have access to information and statistical data on landmine issues;
(h) ensure that all States Parties are contributing human, technical and/or financial resources to victim assistance. Moreover, monitor the implementation of the Convention to prevent new landmine accidents; and
(i) include in their reporting obligation a report on their actions and needs regarding victim assistance and urge those who do not fulfil their victim assistance commitments to do so and publicize those who do not.
Survivors pledge to:
1. participate in all efforts of civil society and support in any way possible the efforts of States Parties to universalise and implement the Convention, not only the victim assistance provisions but all aspects of the treaty;
2. participate in the preparation of National Plans of Action and in formulation of laws, policies and regulations and support that State Parties include the issues of landmine survivors in their Plans;
3. continue to bring the concerns of landmine survivors to Meetings of the States Parties and intersessional meetings and processes in a constructive way;
4. participate also in monitoring the progress made by States Parties as they implement the Convention, this through Landmine Monitor, the Standing Committees, and in our countries in conjunction with national and local mine action and disability coordination mechanisms;
5. keep the Convention victim assistance community apprised of and encourage their involvement in the UN process to achieve a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which seeks to benefit landmine survivors as members of the disability community;
6. never abandon the fight to rid the world of anti-personnel landmines;
7. never forget the world’s promise to assist the survivors of landmines; and
8. be active advocates nationally and internationally to promote the rights of landmine survivors.
Posted: Monday, November 29, 2004
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