Each year, an average of 20 victims of accidents caused by mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are registered in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a country with over 18% of its population living with disabilities. Often marginalized, persons with disabilities face particular challenges and are not socially integrated. Providing socio-economic assistance to these persons with a view to their reintegration into the community is one of the key pillars of mine action. To accompany people with disabilities, UNMAS, together with MONUSCO, frequently organizes activities such as conference-debates, advocacy initiatives and awareness sessions across the DRC.
On 05 December 2018, on the occasion of the commemoration of the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, UNMAS supported in the organization of several activities in two major cities in the DRC. In Kinshasa, UNMAS and MONUSCO team up with “Fondation Kontinental”, a local NGO that supports persons with disabilities, to organise a conference with display stands under the theme “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality in development". The conference provided an opportunity for several non-profit organizations to come together with their members and discuss achievements and current challenges related to the rights of persons with disabilities and the implementation of the Convention related to the Rights of persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol in the DRC.
In Goma, UNMAS supported the local NGO SYAPH “Synergie des Associations Pour Personnes Vivant Avec Handicap” organizing a conference that aimed at promoting equality, empowerment of persons living with disabilities and efforts for their increased autonomy. On this occasion, 230 booklets with the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that were distributed to the conference participants and UNMAS raised awareness on the risks posed by explosive hazards and small arms and light weapons (SALW) and recommended safe behaviours to adopt.
In Goma, UNMAS supported the local NGO SYAPH “Synergie des Associations Pour Personnes Vivant Avec Handicap” organizing a conference that aimed at promoting equality, empowerment of persons living with disabilities and efforts for their increased autonomy. On this occasion, 230 booklets with the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that were distributed to the conference participants and UNMAS raised awareness on the risks posed by explosive hazards and small arms and light weapons (SALW) and recommended safe behaviours to adopt.
UNMAS reiterated its commitment to continue supporting survivors of accidents cause by explosive hazards and people with disabilities in general to contribute to the eradication of all forms of discrimination and intolerance against them and to promote an equitable and sustainable development envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.