Eritrea

Victim Assistance

Last updated: 26 July 2017

Action points based on findings

  • Develop a transparent mechanism to document and record landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) accidents.
  • Finalize and implement the draft national policy on disability.
  • Mainstream children with disabilities into educational programs.
  • Revitalize mine action capacity in Eritrea.
  • Mobilize resources to expand the community-based rehabilitation program to support the thousands of disadvantaged landmine/ERW victims.

Victim assistance commitments

The State of Eritrea is responsible for a significant number of landmine survivors, cluster munition victims, and survivors of other ERW who are in need. Eritrea has made commitments to provide victim assistance through the Mine Ban Treaty.

As of 1 July 2017, Eritrea had not signed or acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).[1]

At least 2,810 mine/ERW survivors have been reported in Eritrea.[2] An estimated 650,000 Eritreans live in landmine- and ERW-contaminated areas.[3]

Victim assistance since 2015

Starting in 2014, UN agencies have unsuccessfully sought funding for victim assistance programming in Eritrea through the Portfolio of Mine Action Programs.[4]

Victim assistance in 2016 

In 2016, Eritrea showed significant improvement in the availability of rehabilitation services.

Assessing victim assistance needs

Through the community-based rehabilitation (CBR) network, the Ministry of Labour and Human Welfare (MoLHW) continued to collect data on persons with disabilities at the community level, but no specific assessment of survivor needs was conducted.[5] An estimated 120,000 to 150,000 Eritreans live with some form of disability.[6]

Victim assistance coordination[7]

Government coordinating body/focal point

MoLHW: Coordination and implementation of services for mine/ERW survivors

Coordinating mechanisms

None

Plan

None

 

The MoLHW is responsible for the coordination of services for all persons with disabilities, including mine survivors.[8] In 2011, Eritrea announced the development of a comprehensive national disability policy, which remains in draft status.[9] In 2015, under the coordination of the MoLHW, a comprehensive review of the draft policy was conducted with various stakeholders to finalize the policy.[10]

Inclusion and participation

The MoLHW hosted the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3 December 2016, in the exposition hall in Asmara. The four nationally recognized disabled persons’ organizations (DPOs)—the National Association of the Visually-Impaired, the National Association of the Hearing-Impaired, the National Association of the Mentally and Developmentally Impaired, and the Eritrean National Association of War Disabled Veterans (ENWDVA)—participated in the event.

Service accessibility and effectiveness

Victim assistance activities[11]

Name of organization

Type of organization

Type of activity

Changes in quality/coverage of service in 2016

The Rehabilitation and Integration Division of the Social Welfare Department within the MoLHW

Government

CBR: physical rehabilitation, referral services, psychosocial support, socio-economic reintegration and other services for persons with disabilities, such as social inclusion and vocational training; managing the four orthopedic workshops in the country

Staffing at the orthopedic workshop increased along with the capacity of existing staff to enable the workshop to accommodate more beneficiaries; CBR activities expanded into four additional regions

Ministry of Health

Government

Medical treatment, physiotherapy, and psychological support

Ongoing

ENDWVA

National organization

Services including mobility devices, loans, small business opportunities, counseling, and workshops

Ongoing

UNICEF

International organization

Mine risk education; psychosocial support to children affected by mines/ERW, especially in remote rural areas; evidence-based advocacy; first aid training; increased access to education for children with disabilities

Ongoing

 

In 2016, Eritrea showed significant improvement in its efforts to increase the availability of rehabilitation services. The orthopedic workshop in Asmara was able to hire additional staff and build the capacity of staff at the workshop to provide mobility devices to beneficiaries. Through the MoLHW’s CBR program, an additional 120 CBR workers were deployed to four regions that had previously not been reached, extending the CBR program’s coverage to 80% of the country. The CBR program provides physical therapy and psychosocial support to landmine and ERW survivors and persons with disabilities.[12]

Eritrea signed a Strategic Partnership Cooperation Framework (SPCF) 2017–2021 agreement with the United Nations to support cooperation between the government, UNICEF, and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The SPCF continued efforts made under the previous agreement between Eritrea and the UN agencies, which include support for the CBR program and continues the provision of donkeys to assist children with disabilities access schools.[13]

Education in Eritrea remains non-inclusive, with separate schools for children with disabilities.[14]



[2] Survey Action Center, “Landmine Impact Survey, Eritrea, Final Report,” May 2005, pp. 21 & 25–27; Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 31 March 2011, p. 11; email from Habtom Seghid, EDA, 20 April 2013; and Mine Ban Treaty Article 5 deadline Extension Request, 23 January 2014, p. 9.

[3] UNICEF, “2016 Humanitarian Action for Children,” undated.

[4] Email from Michael Tewoldemedhin, UNDP, 28 April 2017.

[5] Response to Monitor questionnaire from Tedla Gebrehiwot, UNICEF Eritrea, 29 April 2017.

[6] Mela Ghebremedhin, “Through Harmony…Strength is delivered’: International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” Shabait News, 6 December 2016.

[7] Statement of Eritrea, Standing Committee on Socio-Economic Reintegration, Geneva, 29 May 2013; email from Tedla Gebrehiwet, UNICEF Eritrea, 22 October 2014; United States (US) Department of State, “2013 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Eritrea,” Washington, DC, 27 February 2014, p. 21; and UN, “2011 Portfolio of Mine Action Projects,” New York, March 2011, p. 155.

[9] Ibid., para. 6.1; and response to Monitor questionnaire from Tedla Gebrehiwot, UNICEF Eritrea, 29 April 2017.

[10] Email from Tedla Gebrehiwot, UNICEF Eritrea, 25 May 2017.

[11] Response to Monitor questionnaire from Tedla Gebrehiwot, UNICEF Eritrea, 29 April 2017.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Mela Ghebremedhin, “Through Harmony…Strength is delivered’: International Day of Persons with Disabilities,” Shabait News, 6 December 2016.

[14] Ibid.; and United States Department of State, “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2016,” 3 March 2017.