- Survivor Corps
The Survivor Corps, formerly known as Landmine Survivors Network, is an advocacy organization, founded in 1997 by American landmine survivors Jerry White and Ken Rutherford, PhD, to help the survivor community become an effective force in the campaign to eliminate anti-personnel landmines. LSN is dedicated to promoting the immediate, worldwide removal of landmines by empowering individuals, families, and communities affected by landmines, and by helping them recover from trauma, reclaim their lives, and ensure the human and civil rights of survivors are fulfilled.
According to Survivor Corps, some 80 million landmines are buried in over 80 countries in the developing world, 80% of people injured by landmines are civilians, and only 10% of all victims have access to medical care or rehabilitation.
Mine Ban Treaty Leadership helps land Nobel Prize
Survivor Corps has long played a lead role the
International Campaign to Ban Landmines coalition (ICBL), which has over 1100 member organizations and whose goal is to abolish the production and use of anti-personnel landmines. Survivor Corps helped lead the coalition's efforts that secured the1997 Mine Ban Treaty, which in turn earned the coalition theNobel Peace Prize . Prominent Survivor Corps supporters includeQueen Noor ofJordan Diana, Princess of Wales .A sterling legacy
In
1996 , Survivor Corps established the first database designed to track the rehabilitation needs of mine victims and the resources available to help survivors, their families, and the communities affacted by anti-personnel mines.In 1997, 122 countries signed the Mine Ban Treaty, earning Survivor Corps recognition from the Nobel Prize Committee for contributing to the ICBL's success in securing the Mine Ban Treaty. Also in 1997, Princess Diana visited Bosnia along with Survivor Corps. Her high-profile tour of the war torn country and strong support of Survivor Corps attracted global media attention.
After the death of Princess Diana, in
1998 Survivor Corps was named as the only American-based charity to receive support from theDiana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund . Also that year, Queen Noor stepped in to take a prominent role in promoting Survivor Corps's causes.In
1999 , along with Queen Noor and key members of theUnited States Congress , including SenatorPatrick Leahy , Survivor Corps drew international attention to the refusal of theUnited States to sign the Mine Ban Treaty, while appealing to the US to revisit landmine policy.Landmine Survivors Network becomes Survivor Corps
In May 2008, Landmine Survivors Network changed their name to Survivor Corps. The name change reflects the expansion of their mission to include survivors of global conflict and war.
ee also
*
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
*Manitoba Campaign to Ban Landmines External links
* [http://www.landminesurvivors.org/ LandmineSurvivors.org] - Landmine Survivors Network (official LSN website)
* [http://www.banminesusa.org BanMinesUSA.org] - 'United States Campaign to Ban Landmines'
* [http://www.icbl.org ICBL.org] - 'International Campaign to Ban Landmines' (official website)
* [http://www.lsndatabase.org LSNDatabase.org] - 'Landmine Survivors Rehabilitation Services Database'
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