“National Consultative Meeting: The Establishment of Regional Victim Assistance Network”
02 December 2021, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
On 02 December 2021, the ASEAN Regional Mine Action Center (ARMAC), in collaboration with the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) and related stakeholders hosted the hybrid National Consultative Meeting on “Enhance Victim Assistance Programme in the ASEAN Member States” supported by ASEAN-KOREA Cooperation Fund. The Consultative Meeting is part of a series of activities that ARMAC is planning to conduct with other NMACs/NMAs of ASEAN Member States identified for participation in the project.
The meeting brought together over 50 participants in-person and online from all relevant national and international networks and stakeholders (including landmine/ERW survivors/victims) working with and/or supporting the victim of landmine/ERW and other persons with disabilities. The participants had the opportunity to share knowledge and best practices of victim services implementation in Cambodia. Through the lens of the International Mine Action Standard (IMAS) 13.10, an Integrated Approach to Victim Assistance and voice of victims, the participants discussed pathways to promote the establishment of the Regional Victim Network.
Assisting women, men, boys and girls who are victims of landmine/ERW includes the provision of medical care, rehabilitation, psychosocial support and access to education and economic opportunities so they can fully reintegrate themselves into mainstream society. The assistance requires our long-term commitment and support from both the landmine/ERW affected and non-affected member and stakeholders in our region.
The guests of honor delivering welcome remarks was H.E. Mr. Pengiran Kasmirhan Pengiran Tahir, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to the Kingdom of Cambodia and Chair of the ARMAC Steering Committee; and H.E. Mr. Park Heung-Kyeong, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Republic of Korea to the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Representing the Royal Government of Cambodia at the National Consultative Meeting was H.E. Mr. Ly Thuch, Senior Minister and First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority who delivered the Opening Remarks.