Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Country Profile: Kenya, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Kenya is located on the eastern coast of Africa, bordered by Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. Although the country is largely unaffected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, the easy accessibility of small arms and light weapons poses a serious threat to national security. These weapons exacerbate regional conflicts and are especially detrimental in pastoral communities.

Country Profile: Libya, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Libya, located on the north coast of Africa between Egypt and Algeria, was contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance during World War II and the wars with Egypt (1977) and Chad (1980–1987).

Country Profile: Morocco And Western Sahara, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory bordered by Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania. Morocco claims sovereignty over the Western Sahara, a position not accepted by the international community.

Country Profile: Sudan, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Bordering the Red Sea and comprised mostly of ethnic Arabs, Sudan is located in North Africa and is deemed part of the Middle East. As a result of the first and second Sudanese Civil Wars (1955–1972 and 1983–2005), and the ensuing political turmoil following the conflict in Darfur (2003–present), Sudan is considered one of the most heavily mined countries in the world.

Country Profile: South Sudan, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Two decades of fighting between the Sudanese government and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army/Movement in southern Sudan ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed in 2005. The agreement allowed for a referendum, by which residents of southern Sudan voted for independence in July 2011, creating the country of South Sudan.

Endnotes Issue 16.3, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Endnotes Issue 16.3

Hiv/Aids Survey In Southern Angola, Martin Chitsama, Joao Artur Dumba, Charlotte Mabhiza-Berejena, Nzola Dimbu

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Deminers in Angola have a higher than average risk for HIV infection and transmission as a result of their work in border areas and their high mobility. The Demining HIV/AIDS Partnership conducted a Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors and Perceptions survey to explore deminers’ HIV/AIDS knowledge in Cassinga, southern Angola. Among other conclusions, the results stressed the need for an increase in HIV/AIDS education.

Mine Detection Rats: Effects Of Repeated Extinction On Detection Accuracy, Amanda Mahoney, Amy Durgin, Alan Poling, Bart Weetjens, Christophe Cox, Tess Tewelde, Tekimiti Gilbert

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article describes the performance of Giant African Pouched Rats where reinforcement (reward) or extinction (no reward) conditions affected landmine identification. Accuracy deteriorated quickly in the absence of reinforcement, suggesting that reinforcement is essential.

Mine Action And Development: Challenges Of Inter-Organizational Relationships, Brian Da Cal

Global CWD Repository

This project examines the history of mine action as well as the debated link between landmines and development. It also explains why strong, inter-organisational relationships between the mine action and development sectors are so critical for both humanitarian and socio-economic, development reasons. It examines major influences and challenges to establishing and sustaining such relationships, characterised by a lack of coordination on policy, planning and practice, at the international, national and field level. The likely causes for these challenges are examined, ranging from historical differences in the culture, vision and values of people and organisations within those sectors, segregated donor funding …

The National Strategy For Mine Action In Sri Lanka 2010, The Ministry Of Economic Development- Sri Lanka

Global CWD Repository

The National Strategy for Mine Action in Sri Lanka 2010

Land Rights And Mine Action In Afghanistan: Frequently Asked Questions, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This document provides simple, practical guidance on land issues for mine action organisations in Afghanistan. It covers the following topics: why land matters for mine action; land rights and land release; what mine action organisations can do; and where to get additional information and support.

The Third Meeting Of States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions (2012), Ccm

Global CWD Repository

The Third Meeting of States Parties (3MSP) took place in Oslo, Norway, from 11 to 14 September 2012 and gathered some 800 delegates from 60 States Parties, 30 signatory States, 31 observer States and 15 international organizations (see list below).The 3MSP was opened by Dr. Adnan Mansour, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of the Republic of Lebanon. During the first plenary meeting, Ambassador Steffen Kongstad, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva, was elected by the Meeting as President of the 3MSP.

Armed Violence And Disability: The Untold Story, Hi

Global CWD Repository

Armed violence has powerful, lasting impacts, inflicting severe injuries and impairments and leaving behind broken families, fearful communities and societies in which violence is the norm. It is a daily fear and fact of life for millions of people, particularly those in low income countries and in the marginalised urban zones of more developed countries.

Persons with disabilities experience heightened exposure to armed violence as a result of various factors, such as exclusion from education and employment, the need for personal assistance in daily life, social stigma, discrimination and communications barriers for reporting violence8 . Armed violence injuries and disabilities …

Land Rights And Mine Action In Afghanistan: Analysis And Programming Entry-Points For Mine Action Organisations - Final Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

In 2010, GICHD initiated a project on landmines and land rights in conflict affected contexts. The purpose of the project was to strengthen the capacity of mine action organisations to prevent and respond to land-related conflict before, during and after mine action operations. Since 2011, GICHD has been partnering with UN-HABITAT to undertake a series of land assessment and support missions in key countries toprovide mine action organisations with analyses of land related conflicts and practical guidance on how they can ensure their mine action operations “do no harm” and take land issues into consideration. This report summarizes the main …

Swiss Foundation For Mine Action, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Established in 1997, Fondation Suisse de Déminage (the Swiss Foundation for Mine Action) is a private, international mine-action organization located in Geneva, Switzerland that has implemented mine-action programs in 15 countries.

Endnotes Issue 16.2, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Endnotes Issue 16.2

Clear Path International, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Founded in 2000, Clear Path International is a nonprofit organization that serves persons affected by landmines or other explosive remnants of war and who are disabled or displaced by armed conflict.

Libyan Mine Action Center, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the landmines and explosive remnants of war left over from World War II (1940–1943), the 1977 conflict with Egypt and the Libyan-Chadian war (1980–1987), Libya's former dictator Moammar Gadhafi made little effort to establish a demining program in Libya.

Mag (Mines Advisory Group), Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is a nonprofit global humanitarian organization that helps create peace and prosperity by removing deadly remnants of war.

National Committee For Demining And Rehabilitation, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Jordan has been contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants war from various armed conflicts during the second half of the 20th century: the division of Palestine in 1948, the Arab-Israeli conflict in the late 1960s, civil war in 1970 and the 1975 conflict with Syria.

Urban Land Release In Libya: Bac And Land Release In Built-Up Areas, Robert Keeley

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article's aim is to present several land-release principles for use in the battle-area clearance of Libya's built-up areas, also called Urban Land Release. Based on the practical, empirical experience of DanChurchAid, it is not intended as a one-size-fits-all solution to BAC task planning, but it may be helpful in other locations when compared with local knowledge of the situation on the ground. It does not apply to landmine clearance. BAC is the traditional means of clearing unexploded ordnance in open areas. Libya is now contaminated with UXO and explosive remnants of war as a result of the uprising that …

Canadian Scientist Receives Grant To Continue Developing Innovative, Low-Cost Prosthetic, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Economically impoverished survivors of landmines and explosive remnants of war not only face psychological and physiological trauma but also economic upheaval as they may not be able to continue previous professions, especially those involving physically taxing work such as farming, manufacturing or construction. Furthermore, a survivor of a mine-related accident "typically requires amputation, multiple operations and prolonged physical rehabilitation," all of which are extremely time-consuming and costly. The reality is harsh for many landmine and ERW survivors in the developing world who lack access to adequate health care and safe, effective and affordable prosthetic limbs. Thus, one of the most …

Jordan Declared Minefield Free, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After nearly two decades of landmine removal, Jordan is the first country in the Middle East to declare itself “free of minefields.” In the aftermath of this event, nongovernmental organizations and mine-action groups are working with landmine survivors to change negative perceptions of people with disabilities.

In Remembrance: Kaido Keerdo Estonian Demining Expert Killed In Libya, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

As efforts to clear landmines and other explosive remnants of war from Libya continue, international deminers risk their lives to eliminate the risks to people in the area. On 3 March 2012, a suspected Type 84 anti-tank mine, a Chinese-made cluster munition, killed civilian contractor Kaido Keerdo in Dafniya, 180 kilometers (112 miles) from the Libyan capital of Tripoli. Although Estonia's Government has not deployed any demining specialists to Libya, Estonian mine-expert Keerdo was working for DanChurchAid as a demining technician after having served six years with an explosive-ordnance disposal unit in the Estonian military.

Environmental Determinants Of Landmine Detection By Dogs: Findings From A Large-Scale Study In Afghanistan, Rebecca Sargisson, Ian Mclean, Jennifer Brown, Håvard Bach

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article's purpose is to examine the strengths and weaknesses of mine-detection dogs in different environments. The experiments employed a total of 39 dogs in Afghanistan between October 2002 and July 2003. The results are discussed here.

How Dtra/Scc-Wmd Is Minimizing The Risk Of Catastrophic Accidents, Anne Marek

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the U.S. Strategic Command Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction are taking measures to reduce the number of accidents caused by conventional weapons. More accidents are occurring with the proliferation of small arms and light weapons; DTRA wants to significantly reduce those accidents and the risks of their occurrence. In doing so, DTRA's SA/LW Program organizes and conducts seminars on the practices for physical security and stockpile management throughout the world. Its goal is to educate countries through seminars on proper management of stockpiles and to ultimately assuage the risk of those …

Unplanned Explosions At Munitions Sites: Concerns And Consequences, Eric Berman, Pilar Reina

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Over the past 25 years there have been reports of more than 400 unplanned explosions at munitions sites in almost half the world's countries. The UEMS rate is quickly increasing. Whereas the Small Arms Survey's UEMS Database shows 70 such incidents for the 10-year period between 1987 and 1996, more than this number was registered in the past two years alone. These events occur in large part because states store their munitions improperly. This article reviews the direct and indirect consequences of these explosions on peace and security. It also notes steps states are taking—or should take—to improve practice in …

Small Arms/Light Weapons And Physical Security In Misrata, Libya, Adam Forbes

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

During November 2011 DanChurchAid performed a small arms/light weapons field assessment in Misrata, Libya. In this article, DCA outlines this assessment and explains why SA/LW risk education is a valuable and appropriate response to this situation.

Afghan Experience Calls For Innovative Approach To Ddr, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Criminal activities, illegal arms trading and violence against civilians continue threatening Afghanistan's stability and security, and hinder the work of humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. As a result, potential investors are discouraged from making heavy capital investments, and NGOs cannot implement projects that could dramatically improve the socioeconomic condition of civilians. Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration appear to be crucial steps for the success of post-conflict recovery in Afghanistan. Conducting DDR in the complex and turbulent Afghan environment has proven difficult, and this article explores past attempts at DDR in Afghanistan to draw lessons for future efforts.

The Center For International Stabilization And Recovery At James Madison University, Cisr Journal

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia helps communities affected by violence and trauma through education, programs and transformative services.