NCBL- Hamro Aawaj (The Survivors' Network Project) meeting

                                                                                                                        Date: 8 / 06/2022

 Ban Landmine Campaign Nepal (NCBL) has been working as a part of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC) since its establishment. This organization focuses on activities on advocacy for the accession to the Convention of Cluster Munition and Mine Ban Treaty. It is also working on subjects related to Mine Action, such as mine risk education, assistance to survivors ( through various methods such as capacity building, livelihood support, peer support, data collection, etc.), peace-building programs, and ascertaining the well-being of landmine and ERW survivors and survivors of conflict and persons with disabilities.

To improve and protect the rights of survivors on social, economic, and political levels. NCBL continuously advocates the right to education and healthier life. In these regards, NCBL held a meeting with Hamro Aawaz (the Survivors' Networking Committee), on 8 June 2022. The participants stressed that the survivors should be able to achieve in reality the rights secured by the constitution.

During the discussion, the participants focused that all survivors who do not have access to political parties and high-level government authorities are unable to get equal opportunities of compensation, education facilities for children, health services, education, facilities and rights secured by the constitution. There is a lack of communication between and lack of access to the government. Due to these reasons, many survivors are facing challenges and their life remains in critical condition.  

To improve the quality of life of survivors, the meeting decided to work on three areas: to push the government to accede to the Mine Ban Treaty, and Convention on Cluster Munition and to organize follow-up events on the 17 Points Memorandum.

·         To bring the Leaders of Survivors together from all 7 provinces along with representatives from NA, APF, NP, ex-combatant, and civilians to create an e-group via naya.com.np

·         Krishna Bahadur Ghishing will coordinate all Provincial Level Leaders (PLL) and follow up on provinces 1,3,6 and 7

·         Organize zoom/online meeting with Leaders of Survivors (LOS)

·         The LOS will organize a province-level meeting with other survivors in districts

·         Expand media contact, especially on popular media such as Prime TV, increase the number of users on social media, and interview survivors on TV, Radio, and other means of media.

·         Announcement on social media for support and feedback.

·         Feedback should be appreciated and improvements should be made based on their feedback.

·        Based on the victims' criteria, identity cards should be provided to get access to services. For this, the campaign needs to continue to push the government.

·         Need advocacy to improve and add survivor-friendly statements and improvement of TOR about disability in law and policies.

·         Publication of articles, poems, and victims' life stories on social media.

·         It is required to support their family for good education, health, and opportunity. The organization is playing its role as the backbone for the survivors to let the government hear their voices as well as peace building, making a mine-free country, and spreading messages about mine risk education for peace.