WUNRN
These documents are
significant in the formal consideration of Counterterrorism, Criminal Justice,
and Assistance to Victims of Terrorism. But, we as women know that the
realities of terrorist attacks are highly personal, and that rhetoric must
confront the reality of women’s experiences of terrorism and attacks, and their
caring for children and entire families. Men create conflict; women want peace
and security.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/173159.pdf
Cairo Declaration on
Counterterrorism and the Rule of Law: Effective Counterterrorism Practice in
the Criminal Justice Sector
Direct Link to Full 9-Page
Document:
https://www.thegctf.org/documents/10162/72352/13Sep19_Madrid+Memorandum.pdf
Madrid Memorandum on Good
Practices for Assistance to Victims of Terrorism Immediately after the Attack
and in Criminal Proceedings
The Cairo Declaration on
Counterterrorism and the Rule of Law (September 22, 2011) calls for members of
the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) to “develop good practices for an
effective and rule of law-based criminal justice sector response to terrorism.”
In July 2012, Spain hosted a high-level conference on victims of terrorism
under the auspices of the GCTF Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) Working
Group. At this meeting, member states recognized the need to collaborate on developing
a document outlining good practices for assisting terrorism victims. In
addition, the Government of Spain circulated a draft document, “Madrid
Memorandum on Good Practices for Assistance to Victims of Terrorism Immediately
after the Attack and in Criminal Proceedings.” On November 7, 2012, experts
from GCTF members met to discuss and refine this document. Consistent with the
Cairo Declaration, all States are encouraged to consider using these
non-binding good practices, while recognizing that implementation of these
practices must be consistent with applicable international law, as well as
national law and regulations, taking into account the varied histories,
cultures, and legal systems among States. States may also wish to take note of
relevant international and regional instruments, UN General Assembly
resolutions, and UN reports.1 States are also encouraged, but not obligated, to
share their experiences with the following practices with the CVE Working
Group.
1 A non-exhaustive listing includes: UN General Assembly Resolutions
60/288 of 2006 (The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy) and
66/282 of 2012 (The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy Review);
the UNODC report The Criminal Justice Response to Support Victims of Acts of
Terrorism, Revised edition, 2012; Report of the Special Rapporteur
on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while
countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson: Framework principles for securing the human
rights of victims of terrorism, 2012; and the Council of Europe’s Convention on
the Prevention of Terrorism (opened for signature in 2005 and entered into
force in 2007), which contains a provision specifically dealing with the
protection and compensation of and assistance to victims of terrorism.
A terrorist attack is traumatic
for a wide range of individuals and institutions, but it most directly affects
the victims and their families. How well the victims’ physical and emotional
needs are met can have a significant impact on how well the victims are able to
cope with the trauma. Prompt and efficient assistance and support to terrorism
victims from the moment of the attack through normalization and beyond can have
a positive effect on victims’ mental health and ability to cope. Providing for
practical needs in a compassionate way is a tangible expression of the care and
concern for citizens who are victims of terrorism. Particular attention should
be paid to the needs of children.
A. General
Approach
Good
Practice 1: Ensure effective and appropriate coordination among concerned
bodies responsible for the provision of direct assistance to victims and their
families. Specific,
established coordination is vital to provide specialized, prompt, and efficient
support for victims from the outset of the attack through the long-term attack
impact. Official coordination can ensure the victim response meets professional
and ethical standards and fosters the recovery process, and could include, for
example, personnel with special training in the following areas: psycho-social
(social workers), medical, legal, forensic, and financial process experts,
among others.
Such official
coordination can operate with a goal of providing a comprehensive, integrated
response to victim needs resulting from the terrorist attack. Governmental
coordination should involve first responders, law enforcement, prosecution
agencies, courts, corrections, victim assistance units, health professionals,
and relevant organizations from civil society, including victims’ organizations
and other relevant non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the private
sector.
In addition to
providing coordination, governmental authorities could also provide policy
guidance on victim issues in general, which can include drafting, implementing
and monitoring compliance with protocols addressing issues ranging from
immediate action at the moment of the attack to achieving normalized social
integration or a new normal life for victims.2
2 The United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy calls on states to
consider putting in place, on a voluntary basis, “national systems of
assistance that would promote the needs of victims of terrorism and their
families and facilitate the normalization of their lives.” UN General Assembly
Resolution 60/288 (Sept 2006), Plan of Action, Sec. 1, Para 8.
Good Practice 2: Encourage
State actions that are focused on victim needs and consistent with a set of
guidelines. States could identify
guidelines to inform their actions. Some general guidelines could include: (1) immediacy—intervening
as soon as possible; (2) accessibility—making assistance convenient and
available to victims (which in some cases may mean acting as closely as
possible to the attack location as is safe, or using technology to communicate
with victims unable to travel or who are in other countries); (3) simplicity—using
quick and simple methods adapted to the situation, recognizing that traumatized
individuals may be feeling emotionally overwhelmed; (4) unity—identifying
an official point of contact for the victims, according to the internal legal
system, in case they would like to benefit from assistance; and (5) resiliency—highlighting
the positive aspects of the victims’ previous environment or role, thus helping
their self-esteem and their coping strategies; and (6) comprehensive
assistance—
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