MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

THEME 3
sent a public health hazard, in December 2004 El Salvador introduced a
tax on the manufacture and trade in firearms similar to that imposed on
tobacco and alcohol sales. Its proceeds go towards a ‘Solidarity Fund for
Health’, to be invested towards health promotion, prevention of injuries,
and medical services. It entered into effect in 2005 and its impacts are yet
to be measured. Some USD 20 million is expected to be collected annually
combined from all three items. Although the fund is not directed specifically
at survivors of gun violence, part of the fund is generated from tax
imposed on large firearm producers and retailers, placing a degree of
responsibility on gun dealers and ultimately consumers to contribute to the
costs of gun violence. Parliamentarians can advocate for a similar tax and
distribution of funds to health and justice services. 32
SURVIVORS IN COUNTRIES RECOVERING FROM WAR
War-affected populations are particularly vulnerable to injuries and disabilities
from guns. Very little is known about the magnitude of debilitating
injuries in violent conflict. This is not surprising given the difficulty
of collecting information and undertaking population surveillance in war
zones.
The international community of governments, mediators and UN
agencies can be active in ensuring that the needs of the war wounded—
combatants and civilians—are included in peace agreements, particularly
that assistance to survivors is included in any post-war recovery needs
assessments. In Sierra Leone, for example, the 1999 peace agreement requires
the Government to “design and implement a programme for the rehabilitation
of war victims”, without specifying however what this entails. 33 In
Liberia, the 2003 peace agreement states that “The NGTL [National Transitional
Government of Liberia] in formulating and implementing programs
for national rehabilitation . . . shall ensure that the needs and potentials of
the war victims are taken into account and that gender balance is maintained
in apportioning responsibilities for program implementation.” 34
National governments must also ensure that the aspirations of those
disabled in war are adequately factored into disarmament, demobilisation
and reintegration (DDR) processes, particularly reintegration strategies.
Given some of the challenges, an emphasis on quality over quantity—a
tough proposition for donors and disarmament programme managers—
needs to be consistently applied.
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