PAKISTAN

PROJECT TITLE: Mine Action and Victim Assistance

PROJECT AREA: KURRAM AGENCY, FEDERALLY ADMINISTERED TRIBAL AREA (FATA)

MINE ACTION PROJECT IN FATA – FURTHER DETAILS

1. To reduce casualties caused by landmines and UXOs, and build safe behaviour through mine awareness and risk avoidance education.

Local staff have been employed and trained as mine awareness education (MAE) trainers by experienced members of the well respected Afghan Mine Action Programme. This includes: development of a mine awareness strategy; mine awareness at public places such as Hujra, playgrounds, mosques and Madrassas (religious institutions); development of publicity (awareness) materials; mine awareness through print media. A paramedic works alongside the MAE trainers providing valuable First Aid advice in the event of a landmine/UXO injury.

2. To assess further the impact of landmines on the local population and identify existing landmine/UXO victims through a comprehensive household survey.

The MAE trainers also undertake: the development of a comprehensive interview schedule; pre-testing of the interview schedule; house to house visits to identify landmine/UXO victims; the development of a confidential victims database to facilitate their subsequent physical rehabilitation; and the development of a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify and locate those areas which are contaminated by landmines/UXOs - this system is linked to the victims database and will be a valuable resource for this project and future mine clearance initiatives.

3. To form and strengthen Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in the proposed project area. These CBOs will be provided with managerial training and MAE training so that local communities develop their own capacity for delivering sustainable mine action services.

Experienced community development workers have been employed to: assess existing resources within local communities; meet with community elders; identify community activists; facilitate the formation of at least 20 CBOs within the project area; conduct workshops to assess training needs; develop training modules and conduct training workshops; evaluate the training workshops.

4. To support the physical rehabilitation of landmine/UXO victims.

A physiotherapist has been employed to: identify existing victims of landmine/UXOs from the project database; provide therapy for these victims; provide them and their carers with an appropriate exercise programme to facilitate their long term rehabilitation and maintenance of muscle tone/mobility; facilitate access to other health services in the project area e.g. prosthetics (ICRC and limited NGO services available); work with schools and local employers to attempt to reintegrate victims back into their community.

5 To strengthen the Ottawa Convention Treaty by advocating the landmine/UXO issue at a local, national and international level.