Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Community Participation In Mine Action: Study In Kwanza Sul Province, Angola, Ruth Bottomley

Global CWD Repository

In line with the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) international strategy, which promotes a rights-based partnership approach, the NPA is committed to exploring new approaches to mine action that promote greater involvement of the local mine affected populations. A starting point in this process is a review and conceptual framework paper prepared for NPA by Ruth Bottomley. Through a review of existing documents, the paper provides a reflection on why community participation is important in mine action and outlines some of the challenges. Existing examples of community participation in mine action are compiled with documented strengths and weaknesses.

External Evaluation Of Unicef Support To Rehabilitation/Reintegration Of Mine/Uxo Victims And Disabled People, Unicef

Global CWD Repository

Support for the rehabilitation and reintegration of mine victims and disabled people provided through the Child Protection Programme is well targeted and guided by an appropriately informed and considered strategy. The choice of projects covers several of the Programme's key focal areas including health and education, policy and mainstreaming of disability into humanitarian responses. Current partners provide the program good geographic coverage, effective use of existing resources and constructive engagement of government and community stakeholders. There is ample evidence that support from UNICEF's Child Protection Programme has played a significant role in reducing discrimination and promoting the full development and …

Community Participation In Mine Action: A Review And Conceptual Framework, Ruth Bottomley

Global CWD Repository

In line with the Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) international strategy, which promotes a rights-based partnership approach, the NPA is committed to exploring new approaches to mine action that promote greater involvement of the local mine affected populations. A starting point in this process is a review and conceptual framework paper prepared for NPA by Ruth Bottomley. Through a review of existing documents, the paper provides a reflection on why community participation is important in mine action and outlines some of the challenges. Existing examples of community participation in mine action are compiled with documented strengths and weaknesses.

Regional Cooperation In Mine Action: The Case Of South-Eastern Europe, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Mine action has tended to develop on a national basis. However, the experience of South-Eastern Europe has shown that a broader, regional approach can bring greater effectiveness and efficiency to mine action projects and programmes.

The main achievements of this regional approach have been to lower costs for demining (especially through international competitive bidding) while seeking to promote a high quality of work, in particular through the quality management processes of the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF). The ITF also believes that its work has improved donor strategies for the region as well as priority …

In-Country Trials Cambodia: Minehound, Arnold Schoolderman

Global CWD Repository

In the framework of the in-country trials of the hand-held dual-sensor system Minehound in Cambodia, tests additional to the main trials are executed. In this document two of these additional tests are reported. Both are blind tests. In the first test the ability of the local deminers to discriminate mine-like targets from indigenous clutter with the help of the Minehound is examined. In the second test the ability of these deminers to discriminate adjacently buried low-metal targets and targets that contain a lot of metal, is investigated. These tests were executed mid August 2005 at the test site that was …

A Review Of Ten Years Assistance To The Mine Action Programme In Mozambique, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Mine action has played a role in Mozambique's achievements over the past decade by opening infrastructure networks, reducing the toll of casualties from landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO), assisting landline survivors, and clearing hazards that posed a danger to lives and a constraint on development for many communities. As is true for most activities in Mozambique, observers with the benefit of hindsight can point to many ways in which mine action organisations and the programme overall could have done better. But in broad terms, the outcomes are positive. Casualties are down dramatically, and travel in the country is basically unimpeded …

Mine Detections Dogs: Operations - Case Studies Of Operational Systems, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The study is laid out as four case studies of five organisations (two organisations in Croatia are described in one case study). A commentary is included in each case study as a discussion, and summarising comments are made in the final chapter. Readers will recognise that each case study is essentially a snapshot of the operational structure of the organisation at the time that the study was done. Each study took about a month to complete (including report writing) and seasonal and other limitations meant that it took several years to complete the series of studies. In each case, the …

Mine Action: Success And Challenges, Sayed Aqa

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Since the launch of the first-ever civilian mine action operations in Afghanistan in 1988, significant progress has been made to rid the world of this terrible weapon—a weapon that kills and maims so many and presents a persistent obstacle to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in many countries. Based on the successful advocacy of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the organization's work with governments, 122 states banned the production, use and stockpiling of landmines by signing the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in 1997. Today, just eight years later, 144 states have ratified or acceded …

Adopt-A-Minefield®: Engaging Civil Society In Mine Action, Nahela Hadi

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In 1998, following the signing of the Ottawa Convention, the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) began developing a program to address the landmine issue. The challenge was UNA-USA wanted to do more than just raise awareness of the landmine problem. We did not want to leave people without the ability to act once they had learned about the problem and felt compelled to act. We wanted to do something different through a program that would engage civil society in clearing minefields. Thus, the Adopt-A-Minefield (AAM) campaign was born.

The Marshall Legacy Institute: The Development Of A Mine Action Non-Profit Organization, Amy Eichenberg

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Marshall Legacy Institute (MLI) celebrated its eighth anniversary in March 2005 as a successful mine action non-profit organization. The goals and focus of the organization have evolved over time to help war-torn countries help themselves.

Reflecting On 10 Years Of Ronco Operations In Mine Action, John Lundberg

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Ten years ago, RONCO was carrying out mine action operations in five countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia, Mozambique and Rwanda. Today, the company has over 200 demining-related projects in its portfolio, has worked in almost 30 countries, and has emerged as a world leader in landmine and UXO removal. While the underlying principle of RONCO's work remains the same—building local capacity by training, mentoring and overseeing host-nation organizations—its methodology and the environments in which it is asked to operate have changed considerably.

Roadmap For Mine Action Robotic Technology Development, Pedro Santana, António Mestre, José Barata, Luís Flores

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This paper presents some of the AMI-02 project preliminary work. The project is being developed by Integrators for Robotic Systems (IntRoSys) with funding from the Portuguese National Defence Ministry. The strong bond between Portugal and some African countries (i.e., former Portuguese colonies) is the main drive for the application of this project.

The Missing Link In Strategic Planning: Alara And The End-State Strategy Concept For National Mine Action Planning, Chip Bowness

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Planning for mine action programs has come a long way since 1989 when the United Nations first supported mine clearance under the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance to Afghanistan (UNOCHA). The first mainstream use of the term “mine action” occurred when the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) stood up as a national institution in 1993, with responsibilities extending far beyond clearance of mines and UXO. The world had begun to understand that solving the landmine and UXO problem would be a huge undertaking and require an incalculable amount of time and money to alleviate human suffering …

Mine Action In Yemen: An Example Of Success, Faiz Mohammad

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

During the past 30 years, from the revolution to the period of civil confrontation in 1994, Yemen has witnessed a number of conflicts, each leaving behind a significant level of problems with mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). In 2000, a Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) was carried out in Yemen. The survey provided vital information about the landmine and ERW impact on the Yemeni communities. A total of 592 communities were identified as heavily impacted by landmines and ERW. Fourteen communities, with a population totaling 36,000, were found to be highly impacted, while medium or low impact was reported …

Over A Decade Of Oas Mine Action, Juan Carlos Ruan

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

A number of countries in the Americas have lived with the legacy of landmines that remains from, at times, decade-old conflicts. The Organization of American States (OAS) has been at the forefront in alleviating the negative effects this weapon has on communities in its member states. Over the course of 15 years, the OAS program has evolved significantly to better react to the needs of mine-affected communities. This evolution, and the adoption of a collaborative civil-military structure, has ensured the OAS remains an effective and efficient means to provide assistance in all facets of mine action.

Mine Action Lessons And Challenges: Is Mine Action Making A Difference ... Or Avoiding The Question?, Eric Filippino, Ted Paterson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Certainly, the international mine action community has learned a great deal over the past 15 years. But has mine action really made a significant difference to the people it is trying to help? Few things in mine action cause more frustration and misunderstanding among donors, recipient governments and programme managers than the question, "What results has the programme achieved?" Studies have decried that, despite data detailing the number of landmines destroyed, the area of land cleared and the number of people receiving mine awareness training, there are few data allowing an assessment of whether these achievements have enhanced the well-being …

From Demining To Mine Action: The Development Of Mine Action And The Role Of The United Nations, Martin Barber

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The aftermath of the Russian withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989 marks the start of the United Nations’ involvement in mine action. In the early 1990s, programmes started in Cambodia, Mozambique and Angola, and in 1996 in Bosnia. Today, the United Nations supports mine action in 35 countries. During the past 15 years, the United Nations has learned many lessons in mine action—some the hard way.

The Benefits Of A Regional Approach To Mine Action, Suzanne Fiederlein

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For well over a decade, landmine clearance has figured prominently in the post-conflict reconstruction and national reconciliation processes in Latin America. During armed conflicts in Central America in the 1970–80s, combatants on both sides used anti-personnel landmines. As the conflicts drew to a close and peace agreements were negotiated, the removal of landmines emerged as both an agenda item in negotiations and an obstacle to address in the post-conflict reconstruction phase. El Salvador, Guatemala and Nicaragua all commenced landmine clearance efforts in individualized ways based on the context of their national conflicts.

Itf: A Look At The Past, Present And Future Of Mine Action, Dorijan Marsic, Iztok Hočevar

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) was established March 12, 1998, by the government of the Republic of Slovenia. The main activities of ITF are demining, mine victims assistance (MVA), training, mine awareness, mine risk education (MRE), Geographical Information Systems (GIS) development and regional cooperation. In the years since its inception, ITF has developed into the main regional actor in the field of mine action (MA) in the region of southeastern Europe (SEE). In addition, ITF is strongly involved in connecting the region through the Southeastern Europe Mine Action Coordination Council (SEEMACC).

Global Assessment Of Ec Mine Action Policy And Actions 2002-2004, Russell Gasser, Robert Keeley

Global CWD Repository

The Anti-Personnel Landmine Regulation mandates an overall assessment of all EC mine action every three years. This report contains the first such assessment for the period 2002-2004. The total funding by all EC budget lines for 2002-2004 for mine action was about 116M, of which the horizontal mine action budget line was nearly 40% at 45M. The total for the same period for all EU mine action, including contributions by Member States, was about 410M, of which the dedicated budget line is just 11%. The overall assessment reviewed four areas: 1) how the APL Regulation was used to generate mine …

Cost-Benefit Analysis Of Mine Clearance Operations In Cambodia, Bjorn Gildestad

Global CWD Repository

This cost-benefit analaysis of mine clearance operations in Cambodia was launched by the national regulatory and coordinating body, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victims Assistance Authority (CMAA) in cooperation with UNDP. The socio-economic benefits of mine action was assessed covering the period since the start of the programme in 1992, and a cost benefit analysis model developed for the use of the Royal Government of Cambodia and stakeholders involved in mine clearance.

Landmine Impact Survey Data And Planning For Reconstruction, Bob Eaton

Global CWD Repository

This report is the result of a Survey Action Center consultancy for the UN Mine Action Centre Afghanistan on collecting reconstruction and/or planning data and how it can be combined with Landmine Impact Survey data for follow-up on reconstruction/planning, casualty reduction, and surveillance and development of field reporting systems.

Report Of The Focus Group Workshop On Victim And Casualty Data Collection And Support Requirements For Imsma Version 4, Cisr

Global CWD Repository

The Mine Action Information Center (MAIC) at James Madison University (JMU) hosted a focus group workshop on 15-16 August 2005 in support of the development of version 4 of the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). Mr. Alan Arnold, the IMSMA program manager, tasked the MAIC to organize and host the workshop in order to bring together subject matter experts in the fields of Mine Risk Education (MRE) and Mine Victim Assistance (MVA). The objective was to elicit, categorize and record comment on and suggestions for the proposed design of Victim and Casualty Data Collection and Analysis modules for …

Itf Enhancing Human Security Annual Report 2005, Itf-Enhancy Human Security

Global CWD Repository

The journey towards SE Europe region free from the impact of mines unites various stakeholders – the mine affected communities and their mine action authorities, international and local donor communities, the implementing partners and agencies – in a harmonized cooperation towards a positive end. The mandate of raising and managing funds has been entrusted to the ITF, which proved to be a recognizable and trustworthy partner. In 2005, the ITF funded some 50% of the demining programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, approximately 20% in Croatia, 75% in Albania and over 50% in Serbia and Montenegro (incl. Kosovo). The overall number …