Promoting Victim Assistance and Disability Engagement and Advocacy – Phase 2

The Promoting Victim Assistance and Disability Engagement and Advocacy – Phase 2 project aimed to address the limited state-level coordination among groups involved in victim assistance and disability issues, and the limited capacity of landmine survivors and persons with disabilities to advocate for and participate in decision making processes and built upon Phase 1 of the project.

World Education developed a series of coordination meetings, disability inclusive and advocacy training workshops, community events, and livelihoods assistance efforts in Kayah State, Bago Region and Mon State, locations in which government bodies and civil society organizations are increasingly active in victims assistance and disability issues. Government representatives, landmine survivors, and persons with disabilities participated in the various coordination meetings and training workshops, resulting in greater sector coordination and capacity of landmine survivors and persons with disabilities to participate.

As a result of the project, a total of seven Victim Assistance and Disability Working Group meetings were co-facilitated with the Department of Social Welfare in Kayah and Mon States and Bago Region with a total of 224 participants. 64 landmine survivors, persons with disabilities, and their families participated in livelihoods trainings, building basic financial skills and learning about their rights under the UNCRPD. All participants also received in-kind grants to pursue their small business endeavors. Six new self-help groups were established and supported in implementing income generation projects, while 31 landmine survivors and persons with disabilities were trained on basic first aid. 531 people attended three International Day of Persons with Disabilities advocacy events in which they learned about disability rights and inclusive communities. WE also provided 16 disability organization staff and physiotherapists with a three-day training on Case Management and Physiotherapy. The hands-on training provided participants with new skills and knowledge of physiotherapy as well as effective case management.