Landmines

Women, War, Peace and Landmines

 

Introduction

According to the 2006 Landmine Monitor Report, it is likely that there are between 15,000 and 20,000 new landmine casualties each year, most of them civilian. more... The majority occur in countries at peace, not war. more... Since women comprise the majority of the world’s farmers and gatherers of food, water and firewood, they are particularly vulnerable to the potentially fatal consequences of landmines.

Demining operations often identify transportation routes as priority areas for clearance, but they overlook farm land and other areas in which many women work. This makes it especially important to consult women during the demining process. Furthermore, landmine awareness training, campaigns or classes are more successful when women are involved because women communicate this vital information to their families and communities. Still, as we have seen in the case of Cambodia ’s first all female de-mining team, even when women are fully integrated into the demining process, they often face scrutiny by their male counterparts. more...

The impact of landmines on individuals and communities is not simply physical; it is also psychological, social, and economic. By taking away freedom of movement and robbing children of the right to play, landmines erode peace of mind. During recent conflicts, landmines have been deliberately used to target civilian populations, control their movements and damage their mental health. Long after conflicts end, the presence of mines and UXO continue to pose a terrible threat, undermining peace and security by making it impossible for displaced women to return home and prolonging the suffering of all who come in contact with them.

Key Terms

Anti-personnel mine: A mine designed to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person with the goal of incapacitating, injuring or killing one or more persons. In contrast, anti-tank mines are designed to be detonated by the presence, proximity or contact of a vehicle as opposed to a person.

Community mine action liaison: A component of mine risk education. Exchanges information on the presence and impact of mines and UXO with affected communities, creating a reporting link with the mine action programme and developing risk-reduction strategies.

Explosive Remnants of War: The collective term for any explosive ordnance or other explosive item, object, or part, fired or unfired, left over as the result of armed conflict.

Mine: Ammunition designed to be placed under, on or near the ground or other surface area and to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person or vehicle.

Mine action: All those activities which address the problems faced by people as a result of landmine contamination.

Mine Risk Education: Those actions which lessen the probability and/or severity of physical injury to people, property or the environment

Mined area: An area which is dangerous due to the presence or suspected presence of mines.

Transfer: Involves, in addition to the physical movement of anti-personnel mines into or from national territory, the transfer of title to and control over the mines. It does not however involve the transfer of territory containing anti-personnel mines.

Unexploded Ordnance: Ordnance that has been primed, fused, armed, or otherwise prepared for use. It may have been fired, dropped, launched or projected yet remains unexploded either though malfunction of design or for any other reason.

Victim assistance: All care and rehabilitation activities that aim to meet the immediate and long-term needs of landmine survivors, their families, and mine-affected communities.

Source: UNICEF Mine Action Strategy 2002-2005. Note that many definitions are lifted verbatim.

International Organizations

  • Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction: more...

  • Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons: more...

  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Involved in mine clearance in relation to its humanitarian agriculture relief activities in countries affected by complex emergencies. more...
     
  • Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining: Supports Humanitarian Mine Action through operational assistance, research, and support to the implementation of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. more...
     
  • International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL): more...
     
  • International Labor Organization (ILO): The ILO Focus Programme on Crisis Response and Reconstruction (IFP/Crisis) supports and assists national governments and organization of persons in planning and implementing general demobilization and reintegration programmes and as well as related programmes. more...

  • Landmine Monitor: more...
     
  • Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): Responsible for sharing all relevant information with UNMAS and other partners regarding the humanitarian implications for landmines. more...
     
  • United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): The UN focal point on mine awareness education. Also plays a significant role in advocacy and mine victim assistance. more...
     
  • United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA): Landmine page. more...
     
  • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Mine Action Policy. more...

  • United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS): UNMAS is responsible for coordinating all aspects of mine action within the UN system and for providing mine action assistance in the context of humanitarian emergencies and peacekeeping operations. more...
     
  • United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS): A Principal provider of mine action services within the United Nations system. more...
     
  • World Food Programme (WFP): WFP’s main areas of concern with regard to landmines are 1) the clearance of access roads for the speedy and cost-effective delivery of food assistance 2) the clearance of land required for the safe return of displaced populations 3) the clearance of crop land for agricultural use in order to promote sustainable levels of local food production. more...
     
  • World Health Organisation (WHO): Assists governments in developing a public health response to landmine contamination and unexploded ordnance. more...

Tools & Checklists

UN Documents

Report of the Secretary General to the General Assembly:

Assistance in Mine Action, 8 August 2003.  more...

Assistance in Mine Action, 8 October 2001. more...

Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Mine Action: 

August 2003. more...

16 October 2001. more...

Security Council Open Debate: 13 November 2003. more...

United Nations Mine Action Service: Mine Action and Effective Coordination: The UN Policy (2003). more...

For more documents, see the comprehensive UN Mine Action Documents data base here.

Independent Experts' Assessment & Recommendations 

The Independent Experts' Assessment on Women, War, Peace and Landmines and the accompanying recommendations can be accessed in this archive: Landmine Archive