FOREWORD BY THE DIRECTOR
In 2012, the GICHD’s work was guided by the new Strategy 2012-2014 and its two key objectives, which are to accelerate progress towards global clarity on the extent of contamination and to enhance the capacities of national authorities in mine-affected countries.
Our aim at the GICHD is to offer increasingly integrated advice, training and solutions to partner countries. To better respond to the needs and requests of the national programmes, we have undertaken an internal reorganisation within the Centre. From January 2013, three sections - Information Management, Strategic Management and Operations - have merged into two divisions: Operations Consulting and Management Consulting.
GICHD programmes continue to focus on core activities and on delivering expert advice on the strategic orientation and management of mine action programmes, as well as on methods and techniques for land release and stockpile destruction. In addition, a number of new initiatives have been launched over the course of 2012, one of which relates to victim assistance. The GICHD will not become an expert centre on medical rehabilitation or social reintegration, but we will factor victim assistance into strategic planning and information management.
Although States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) have made efforts to strengthen victim assistance programmes, they have often been challenged when coordinating, monitoring and evaluating their activities. Therefore a new version of the GICHD’s primary software package,
Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), is being developed in response to these needs. This is the first complete overhaul since 2005, and the new version will be released in the second half of 2013. The enhanced software will have the capacity to store and analyse vast amounts of accident, survivor and victim assistance data. It will enable affected states to report better on victim assistance, as required by the relevant treaties, and could serve as a platform for an information management system to support broader disability programmes, in line with the obligations of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
This clearly demonstrates how we are involved in all pillars of mine action without losing sight of our comparative advantages. The support of the partners and donors throughout the year is instrumental in the GICHD delivering on its commitments.
Ambassador Stephan Husy | GICHD Director