Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities, UNICEF

Box 5.2 Landmines cause disability in AngolaWhile the total number of landmine victims inAngola is not known (due to limited data collection),government estimates report that there are70,000 to 80,000 mine survivors, representingnearly 80 per cent of all persons with disabilities.The proportion of casualties who are children istherefore also unknown. It is estimated, however,that 85 per cent of mine survivors are youngpeople (70 per cent of whom are illiterate). i TheCommittee on the Rights of the Child has notedwith concern the large number of landminesremaining across the country and continuing tocause injuries to children and pose a threat totheir survival and development. iiThere are few facilities available for people withphysical disabilities in Angola and the provisionof any type of assistance, particularly outsidemajor cities, has been significantly affected bythe long years of armed conflict. iiiSources:iLandmine Monitor Report 2006, Angola, .iiUN Committee on the Rights of the Child, ConcludingObservations of the Committee on the Rights of theChild (Angola), 1 October 2004, CRC/C/15/Add.246.iiiLandmine Monitor Report 2004 Angola, .long-term psychological consequences. Eventhe most caring of parents will be torn betweenremaining with their disabled child at a specialfacility and returning home to meet the needs of alltheir other children.Children in war zones run a greatly increased riskof being injured and disabled by landmines andunexploded cluster munitions, in African countriessuch as Angola (see box 5.2), in Cambodia andother South-East Asian countries, in South-EasternEurope and in the Middle East. Children may be outplaying in the fields or running errands through thewoods and they often cannot read warning signs.Many children were born after fighting ended, sohave no memory of where mines might have beenlaid. Children who cannot understand warnings areparticularly at risk. 65Assistance to child as well as adult victims oflandmines should cover at least six major areas:data collection; emergency and continuing medicalcare; physical rehabilitation and prosthetics;psychological support and social reintegration;economic reintegration; and disability laws andpublic policies. Available information indicatesthat most countries affected by landmines havefacilities to address some of the needs of landminesurvivors; however, in over 85 per cent of countrieswith new mine casualties in 2004–2005, oneor more of the above six areas was reportedlyinadequate to meet the needs of mine survivorsand other persons with disabilities. 66 When childrenare left injured, their growing bodies and boneswill require, on average, a new prosthesis every sixmonths. This places an immense financial burdenon families who are often already living in difficultcircumstances. 67Children involved in civil wars and disturbances areparticularly likely to suffer psychological traumaand long-term damage. Providing emotional andpersonal support to children should be addressed asa high priority.Particularly in the period since the December 2004tsunami, understanding has grown of the need forspecific provisions for persons with disabilities,including children, in relation to natural disasters.The distinct needs of persons with disabilitiesmust be taken into account, with their directinvolvement, in emergency planning and training,and in the design of systems for evacuation,shelter and emergency communications. Personswith disabilities must be involved as stakeholdersin the full spectrum of emergency response andrelief efforts, including in the areas of mobility andaccurate data collection. Organizations representingpersons with disabilities have a particular role toplay at all of these stages, including in the recoveryprocess. 68Whether in natural disasters or man-madeemergencies, a series of actions can be identified inorder to bring response for children with disabilitiesinto the mainstream. Focus must be on both theaffected child and the family. Preventive effortsshould aim both to prevent disabling conditionsfrom occurring, and to enable early identificationto prevent their progression. Protective actionsshould focus on reuniting separated children withtheir families or developing fostering alternativeswhere needed; and supporting families both withresources and with listening and advice. Childrenwith disabilities should have access to play, sportand leisure activities, and they should be involvedin decisions affecting them. Physical rehabilitationservices are important, depending on the individualsituation. Psychosocial services following disastersare critical for children with emotional or mentaldifficulties, which often seriously compoundphysical impairments. Finally, these children inemergencies should have access to education andpractical training, in inclusive settings. All actionsfor children with disabilities in emergency situationsrely on the promotion of positive attitudes andsupport by the community. 69Participation and access to opportunitiesChildren with disabilities, like all other children, havea right to express their views freely in all mattersInnocenti Digest No. 13Promoting the Rights of Children with Disabilities20