title: Belarus: towards a new post-chernobyl rehabilitation strategy.
abstract: Today, Belarus still has to deal with many problems that resulted owing to the extensive contamination of its territory after the Chernobyl accident. These problems remain omnipresent in everyday life of the affected population and have a continuous impact on the economic well being of the country. This paper describes the major changes that have been carried out in the rehabilitation strategies in Belarus since the Chernobyl accident. The evolution of the legal and administrative framework for rehabilitation and actions taken in this context over the past two decades are summarized. The continuing challenges faced by the population in the affected areas are discussed and the key principles underlying rehabilitation strategies (that are both practicable and accepted) are identified. The latter include openness, voluntary participation, collective decision-making and empowerment of local population and professionals. These principles have underpinned the development of recent national and international initiatives that are described.
authors.affiliation: Committee on the Problems of the Consequences of the Catastrophe at the Chernobyl NPP under the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus (Komchernobyl), av. Masherova, 23, building 1, 220004, Minsk, Belarus. zoia@komchern.org.by
authors.forename: Zoia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Trofimchik
mesh_terms: D047852:Chernobyl Nuclear Accident; D003660:Decision Support Systems, Management / Q000458:organization & administration; D003666:Decontamination / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D004630:Emergencies; D011210:Power Plants; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000379:methods; D018788:Radioactive Hazard Release; D002094:Republic of Belarus; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D017751:Safety Management / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D014455:Ukraine