OTTAWA, ON, May 29, 1989 - The War Amps of Canada has been granted Non-Governmental Organization status with the United Nations. Brian Forbes, Association legal counsel, will announce the formal certification during his address today at a symposium on human rights at the Ottawa Congress Centre.

In his address Forbes will be discussing the role of non-governmental organizations and the unique role of The War Amps. His address is scheduled to be given during a session entitled, 'The Role of Non-Governmental Organizations' at 4 o'clock.

The two-day symposium, May 29 and 30, is being co-sponsored by the Canadian Human Rights Foundation and The War Amps. Entitled, "Compensation of Victims of Human Rights Violations", it will feature such keynote speakers as Professor John Humphrey of Montreal, co- author of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Cliff Chadderton, chief executive of The War Amps and head of a task force seeking compensation for Canadian thalidomide victims. Also speaking will be Justice Jules Deschˆnes of the Quebec Superior Court and Dr. Gustave Gingras, honourary president of the Foundation and internationally renowned specialist in rehabilitative medicine.

"It is important to the Association to have obtained this particular consultative status," states Forbes, who is also honorary secretary-general of the National Council of Veteran Associations. "It will allow The War Amps to involve itself in assisting amputees on an international level and to present submissions to the human rights bodies where such interventions are thought to be necessary."

The War Amps has been granted non-governmental status largely because of its work on behalf of the disabled. In fact, the veterans organization has been active in human rights for nearly 70n years. Fro the past 20 years this work has extended itself to include disabled civilians.

"The Association has significantly expanded its mandate," Forbes states. "Since World War II it's made countless representations before various government committees and tribunals on behalf of veterans seeking financial compensation for disabilities and incapacities arising out of military service.

"Now, through its Child Amputee and Civilian Liaison Programs, the Association is using the knowledge it gained through this work to help a broader number of disabled Canadians."

In 1987, when the Association put an appeal for compensation from Japan before the UN on behalf of former Canadian servicemen, leading human rights experts and other NGOs strongly encouraged The War Amps to pursue the issue through a 'draft declaration' as to the right to compensation.

"We have now done so," states Forbes, "through the assistance of leading NGOs such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Commission of Health Professionals, which is comprised of medical professionals actively interested in human rights."

The declaration, should it be adopted as law, provides a standard of international conduct that would require countries which have committed gross violations of human rights to compensate the victims of these violations.

The declaration has so far been adopted in principle by the Sub-Commission the working group of the Human Rights Commission in Geneva.