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U.S. Government Interagency Partner: USAID's Leahy War Victim's Fund
The Leahy War Victims Fund, managed by USAID, is an important source of U.S. assistance to civilian victims of conflict in developing countries. Established in 1989, the Leahy War Victims Fund provides financial and technical support for people with disabilities, particularly those with mobility-related injuries from landmines, UXO, and other injuries resulting from armed conflict and civil strife. To date, the Fund has provided approximately $287 million in assistance to more than 50 countries.
The Leahy War Victims Fund was originally tasked with the delivery of immediate care to civilians impacted by mines and ERW, including the provision of prosthetics, orthotics and rehabilitation services. Its scope has widened to accommodate the changing needs of the populations it serves and promotes sustainable rehabilitation services. The Fund also supports the development of international standards, as well as training on those standards to ensure that rehabilitation practitioners and institutions have sufficient capacity.
A good example of programming supported by the Leahy War Victims Fund in 2018 is the $2.9 million TEAM Ukraine activity implemented by UCP Wheels for Humanity (UCPW). From September 1, 2015 to June 30, 2019, UCPW is partnering with the Ukrainian Association of Physical Therapists, the National Assembly of People with Disabilities, and several local hospitals to promote comprehensive rehabilitation services in Ukraine, increase socioeconomic opportunities for persons with disabilities and their families, and improve access to assistive devices. The activity prioritizes attention to civilians affected by conflict. To date, the activity has helped provide services to some 5,200 individuals, train over 200 professionals, and strengthen the capacity of over 500 local organizations. The activity also works closely with the government of Ukraine to reform the rehabilitation sector, considering issues such as implementation of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health; implementation of early intervention services; establishment of physical and occupational therapy professions; and improved inter-ministerial cooperation on the subject.
Spending a total of approximately $12 million in 2018, the Leahy War Victims Fund launched two new activities in 2018. In Burma, Development Alternatives International is implementing the Community Strengthening Project to assist people in areas affected by or prone to conflict to access essential services, including rehabilitation services. On a global level, the World Health Organization is implementing the initiative Addressing Unmet Needs for Rehabilitation. It is designed to increase technical capacity in countries to deliver quality rehabilitation services in the context of general health systems. Pilot countries include Burma, Colombia, Georgia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Another global initiative spanning multiple countries includes the International Committee of the Red Cross MoveAbility Foundation with an emphasis on Africa to support the development of international standards and increase workforce capacity related to rehabilitation, prosthetics and orthotics, and increased access to appropriate assistive products. Finally, the Leahy War Victims Fund continued to support additional activities in Colombia, Haiti, and Laos, in addition to those noted above. http://usaid.gov