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Sudan

UN Mine Action Office Sudan: Newsletter Mar/Apr 2007

Attachments

Inside this issue:

- Stockpile Destruction

- To Date Key Achievements

- Funding Update

Victim Assistance Workshop

Victims of war, and in particular victims of mines and ERW, are confronted by many daunting challenges. Mine and ERW victims are injured both physically and psychologically. They are often deprived of their dignity and livelihoods and forced to devote time and energy to restoring their identities, their homes, and their place in the community. In Sudan, mine and ERW survivors face many challenges. Access to basic health and education services is very limited, particularly in rural areas. Survivors are subjected to discrimination and are considered a burden to the family and community in which they live. UNMAO, together with the National Mine Action Centre and the South Sudan Demining Commission, organized the first Sudan National Victim Assistance Workshop in Juba on 14th March. The workshop was attended by over 60 professional and technical actors including government officials, diplomats, and representatives from national and international NGOs. The main outcomes of the workshop were the final revision of the National Strategic Framework on Victim Assistance (2007-2011), the creation of a common ground for a better understanding of VA and disability related issues, and presentations of planned and ongoing programs in Sudan. The workshop represented the starting point for the establishment of a solid and effective network to design, implement and monitor activities to support Mine/ERW victims and persons with disabilities. The Workshop was made possible thanks to a contribution from the Government of Japan, which has donated US$ 1,698,341 through the Human Security Trust Fund for Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security.