The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction, Vol. 15, Iss. 3 [2011], Art. 1
Hmong children pose by the fence made with unexploded ordnance in Xiang Khouang, Lao PDR. Photo courtesy of Paulo Kawai.
offering support to survivors, Save the
to provide appropriate support, child
other ERW is evident, the psychological
Children, an international nongovern-
survivors ought to be considered in the
and socioeconomic impacts on a child’s
mental organization, noted that these
context of their age, culture and com-
life are less obvious. Children are physi-
existing forms of local support should
munity.
Programs should be struc-
cally scarred and mentally traumatized,
not be overlooked when seeking to im-
tured around capacity-building for
and when families are unable to cope
plement new forms of support, such
not only the child, but also the child’s
with a disability, the family becomes
as the introduction of professional aid
family.18 Roth and Briar-Lawson assert
more vulnerable to the socioeconomic
workers.
18
that children who have suffered physi-
after-effects of the incident. Children
In their book Globalization, Social Jus-
cally and psychologically will progress
require specialized rehabilitative care
tice and the Helping Professions, William
more quickly in the rehabilitation pro-
and additional ongoing support. By un-
Roth and Katharine Briar-Lawson write
cess when staying with family; similar-
derstanding the various effects these
that “the chief tenet for working with vic-
ly, children who have been separated
weapons can have on a child’s life, more
tims of trauma is to, first and foremost,
from family members tend to fare better
appropriate, sustainable care can be
remove the threat, but the truth is that
when placed with a foster family.
provided to those in need.
18
the vast majority of traumatized chil-
While the threat of bodily harm in-
See endnotes page 82
dren continue to live within or close to
volved in accidentally detonating a
~Blake Williamson, CISR Staff
the killing landmine fields.”20 In order
mine, unexploded submunition or some
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol15/iss3/1
32
20
notes from the field | the journal of ERW and mine action | fall 2011 | 15.3
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