MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

MISSING PIECES
. . . the mental and social costs to the individual who is injured are
impossible to calculate. The repercussions of severe injury to the central
nervous system can send survivors of shootings on an emotional
roller coaster. Some say they experience a wide array of emotions:
anger, anxiety, depression, desensitisations toward death and injury. 17
In the longer-term, survivors of armed violence and their carers may
face difficulties reintegrating into socio-economic life. This is particularly
important as people with disabilities are often the poorest of the poor. The
challenge goes beyond financial assistance to include the reintegration of
survivors into their communities, ensure positive economic prospects and
a return to a healthy life. The creation of such opportunities should therefore
be prioritised.
DISABILITY
A person with a disability may belong to a wide grouping, including those
with mental, visual, hearing, speech, or mobility disabilities. 18 The UN
estimates that approximately 10% of the population of the world—about
600 million people—are affected by disabilities. 19 About 80% of people
with disabilities live in low-income nations. 20 What portion of that figure
is due to interpersonal violence, or gun violence, is not clear—highlighting
the need for reliable data collection to develop and monitor public policies.
Periodically, however, focused data becomes available and a stark picture
emerges. One study by the International Rescue Committee in one of the
world’s largest refugee camps found that the single largest cause of physical
disability was from gun shot injuries—32.4 per cent of all cases. 21 This
study highlights not only the need for better injury reporting in areas
affected by armed conflict but the importance of focusing on populations
at particularly high risk, such as refugees and internally displaced people.
BOX 9 INFORMATION COLLECTION: AN EXAMPLE FROM CAMBODIA
Information on the number of survivors of armed violence, their medical
needs and the costs of long-term rehabilitation and reintegration is scarce,
and data collection and injury surveillance systems are needed to ensure
that the services provided are adequate. Such systems have already been
put in place by some countries seeking to respond to the needs of mine
victims. For example, in Cambodia, the Mine/UXO Victim Information System
is maintained by the Cambodian Red Cross and Handicap International. 22 Each
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