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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Effectiveness And Impact Of Undp Mine Action Support: Lessons Learned, Charles Downs, Alan Fox
Effectiveness And Impact Of Undp Mine Action Support: Lessons Learned, Charles Downs, Alan Fox
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has supported mine action in more than 40 countries since its first involvement in Cambodia in 1992. UNDP support generally focuses on the development of national mine action management capacities. In early 2016, the Independent Evaluation Office (IEO) of UNDP concluded the first global evaluation of the results of UNDP support in mine action, with particular attention to its effectiveness and impact. The evaluation reviewed documentation relating to all national, UNDP-supported mine action programs, in-depth desk reviews of support to 14 countries, and background for field case studies of three national programs (Laos, Mozambique, …
Mobile Data Collection: Interoperability Through New Architecture, Elizabeth Vinek, Sulaiman Mukahhal, Olivier Cottray
Mobile Data Collection: Interoperability Through New Architecture, Elizabeth Vinek, Sulaiman Mukahhal, Olivier Cottray
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Information management (IM) requires close collaboration between all parties in a mine action program and cannot be carried out in isolation. Effective IM involves tools as well as organizational processes that clearly define how different parties interact and function with IM. Without adequately defining processes through National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), even the most advanced and fit-for-purpose IM tools will lack the foundation to be effective.
From The Field: Mobile Technologies For Mine Action, Torsten Vikstrom
From The Field: Mobile Technologies For Mine Action, Torsten Vikstrom
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Breakthroughs in technology development transformed desktop computers into small, powerful mobile units equipped with intelligent software and extensive possibilities to connect and interact. Alternatively, the world of mine action still depends on manual work done with pen and paper, and the process of field data collection is especially exposed. However, field tests show that the use of mobile technology vastly improves safety and increases the effectiveness of field work. Adapting to new mobile technologies for field data collection will also positively affect the ways in which we gather, share, analyze, monitor and evaluate information.
Afghanistan’S National Mine Action Strategic Plan (2016–2021), Mohammad Akbar Oriakhil
Afghanistan’S National Mine Action Strategic Plan (2016–2021), Mohammad Akbar Oriakhil
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Afghanistan suffers from severe landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination, mostly as a result of the Soviet-Afghan War (1979–1989), internal conflict lasting from 1992 to 1996, and the United States-led coalition intervention in late 2001.
Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Mobile Technology, Howard Rudat
Maximizing The Effectiveness Of Mobile Technology, Howard Rudat
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Mobile technology has transformed the way we live our lives and has the potential to dramatically assist in demining. However, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems coupled with explosive remnants of war (ERW) related applications leave capability gaps and create potential risks that must be closed. A more tailored and deliberate ecosystem approach when employing mobile technology will yield greater benefits and avoid the problems encountered when Alexa, Cortana, Google Now or Siri do not provide the necessary information. It seems that at the times when you need information the most, the smart personal assistants provided by Google, Apple and Microsoft either …
Mobile Technology In Mine Action: The Fulcrum Application, Camille Wallen, Nick Torbet
Mobile Technology In Mine Action: The Fulcrum Application, Camille Wallen, Nick Torbet
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In 2014, The HALO Trust (HALO) began trialing Fulcrum, a mobile data collection application for survey developed by Fulcrum Mobile Solutions. Due to the success of the trial, the subscription-based commercial product, designed specifically for mobile data collection, was used in eight HALO programs. Using Fulcrum, HALO has created 35 applications that collect data for a variety of outputs, including rapid contamination assessments, socioeconomic and impact surveys, minefield quality assurance checks, vehicle and logistics checks, and a number of reports including technical and nontechnical surveys, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), mine risk education (MRE), and daily minefield stats reports.
Transition And National Capacity After Article 5 Compliance, Hans Risser, Christian Ruge
Transition And National Capacity After Article 5 Compliance, Hans Risser, Christian Ruge
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In June 2014, State Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) met in Maputo, Mozambique, for the 3rd Review Conference of the APMBC, fifteen years after its entry into force. As the review conference approached, State Parties faced a growing call from civil society and some State Parties to commit to complete all obligations in the treaty as rapidly as possible. The majority of State Parties have already completed their APBMC obligations to destroy stockpiles of anti-personnel (AP) mines. However, surveying and clearing all known mined areas in a state’s territory in accordance with obligations under Article 5 of …
Arms Management And Destruction Programming: Taking Stock, Chris Loughran, Djadranka Gillesen
Arms Management And Destruction Programming: Taking Stock, Chris Loughran, Djadranka Gillesen
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
The Arms Management and Destruction (AMD) sector— an element of conventional weapons destruction (CWD) that includes several elements of physical security and stockpile management (PSSM)—has experienced dynamic growth over the last 18 months. An increasing number of programs address illicit and poorly stored weapons, enhance the safety and security of arms storage, and support the development of national capacity, including MAG’s regional initiative in the Sahel and West Africa. As a distinct AMD sector emerges, now is the time to analyze what makes programming strategies effective as well as ineffective. The industry must resist the temptation to talk about best …
An Overview Of Mozambique’S Mine-Free District Process, Antonio Belchior Vaz Martíns, Hans Risser
An Overview Of Mozambique’S Mine-Free District Process, Antonio Belchior Vaz Martíns, Hans Risser
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In the 1990s, Mozambique ranked among countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, and Iraq as one of the most mine-contaminated countries in the world. At the time, experts estimated that clearing all landmines in Mozambique would take 50 to 100 years. Landmines were widely used by all sides during the conflicts that ravaged Mozambique from the mid-1960s until 1992. These nuisance minefields usually consisted of small numbers of mines in seemingly random or undefined areas mostly around paths, wells and rural infrastructure. Large-pattern minefields tended to be the exception rather than the norm in Mozambique. Given the …
Tiramisu Final Technology Demonstration At Sedee-Dovo, Yann Yvinec, Vinciane Lacroix, Yvan Baudoin
Tiramisu Final Technology Demonstration At Sedee-Dovo, Yann Yvinec, Vinciane Lacroix, Yvan Baudoin
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
On 24 September 2015, and in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, the Royal Military Academy of Belgium (RMA) organized a demonstration for mine action tools in Meerdael, Belgium. At the Belgian EOD battalion premises of SEDEE-DOVO, RMA presented technology developed under the TIRAMISU project, which was co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by RMA. Designed by twenty-six different organizations, the tools covered multiple elements of mine action, including survey, operation and validation, information management, mine risk education (MRE), close-in-detection, and personnel protective equipment (PPE). Organizers held inside and outside demonstrations as well as discussions …
Endnotes Issue 20.1, Cisr Journal
Endnotes Issue 20.1, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction 20.1 Endnotes
From The Director, Cisr Journal
From The Director, Cisr Journal
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Welcome to our 20th edition of The Journal! This is an exciting year for us as we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) as well as The Journal. Since our founding in 1996, CISR’s mission, programs and publications have continuously evolved with the ever-changing face of mine action, reflecting the training, informational and program needs of the field. As mine action is absorbed into the broader scope of conventional weapons destruction, CISR and The Journal are prepared to be the information leader for this community of practice. With great anticipation we begin this …
Stockpile Destruction Of Obsolete Surface-To-Air Missiles In Mali, Marlène Dupouy, Charles Frisby
Stockpile Destruction Of Obsolete Surface-To-Air Missiles In Mali, Marlène Dupouy, Charles Frisby
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Inadequate management of ammunition stockpiles can cause accidental explosions. The Small Arms Survey lists a total of 528 unplanned explosions of ammunition storage sites since January 1979, in more than half of United Nations member states. The March 2012 incident, which took place in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, is a reminder of the danger posed by poor stockpile management, as well as the tragic consequences affecting the population, environment and governments as a result of financial costs of clean-up exercises. The explosions in Brazzaville killed at least 300 people, injured more than 2,500 and left over 121,000 homeless, according …
Unmas Gaza Emergency Response Report, Mark Frankish
Unmas Gaza Emergency Response Report, Mark Frankish
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
From 7 July to 26 August 2014, significant quantities of explosive ordnance were used during hostilities between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Gazan armed groups. It is reported that approximately 72,000 items of ordnance were fired and launched during this period. This presented a significant risk for civilians and hampered humanitarian and reconstruction operations. Many unexploded aircraft bombs, tank projectiles, mortar shells and other munitions from both sides of the conflict were reported in civilian areas. Based on a 10 percent fail rate, it was assumed there are approximately 7,200 items of explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Gaza, …
Unfinished Business: Cluster Munition Remnants In Kosovo, Darvin Lisica, Stuart Maslen
Unfinished Business: Cluster Munition Remnants In Kosovo, Darvin Lisica, Stuart Maslen
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
During the period of June 1999 to mid-December 2001, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) coordinated major international cleanup activities in Kosovo, which resulted in the successful clearance of more than 12.4 sq mi (32.1 sq km) of land and the destruction of more than 50,000 landmines, unexploded submunitions and other unexploded ordnance (UXO). Kosovo had considerable mine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination, including cluster munition remnants (CMR) from armed conflict between forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army in the late 1990s, exacerbated by the NATO bombing in 1999.
Provision Of Emergency Risk Education To Idps And Returnees In Ukraine, Abigail Jones, Edward Crowther
Provision Of Emergency Risk Education To Idps And Returnees In Ukraine, Abigail Jones, Edward Crowther
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
While no official survey of the landmine/explosive remnants of war (ERW) situation has been carried out in Ukraine, the humanitarian impact is significant. Mines and booby traps strategically block access to essential infrastructure as well as to forested areas where people gather wood to heat their homes. Important infrastructure across the Donbas region, one of Europe’s most heavily industrialized areas, is contaminated, slowing repairs and reconstruction around power stations and water-treatment facilities, and seriously affecting the local population. Similarly, cluster munition use in urban and rural areas blocks access to family allotments and farms.
Explosive Hazards In The Aftermath Of Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned, Nicole Neitzey, Paula S. Daly
Explosive Hazards In The Aftermath Of Natural Disasters: Lessons Learned, Nicole Neitzey, Paula S. Daly
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Natural disasters have posed problems for demining operations in the past; the heavy flooding in Bosnia and Herzegovina was one recent example of many. Over the past 20 years, natural disasters have impacted countries affected by landmines or other explosive remnants of war (ERW), causing renewed danger. Despite reoccurring in recent years, these events continue catching the international CWD community by surprise, while experience and lessons learned from previous disasters in one country must be relearned in other regions.
Small Caliber De-Armers: An Answer To Explosive Acquisition Problems, Harold S. Pearson
Small Caliber De-Armers: An Answer To Explosive Acquisition Problems, Harold S. Pearson
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In many mine-affected countries, sourcing, transporting and reliably initiating explosives is one of the major obstacles for mine action operators. Consequently, finding a reliable method of destroying anti-personnel (AP) landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination that does not require the use of high explosives is of great interest to many in the industry.
Mag: Mine Clearance In Lebanon, Sean Sutton
Mag: Mine Clearance In Lebanon, Sean Sutton
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Mines, cluster submunitions, and unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination plague Lebanon as a result of a 15-year civil war ending in 1990, two Israeli invasions in 1978 and 1982, and the July–August conflict with Israel in 2006. The Lebanon Mine Action Centre (LMAC) identified 2,598 mined areas covering 191,000,000 sq m of land. Following non-technical survey (NTS) and clearance operations, there is an estimated 30,316,080 sq m of suspected hazardous area remaining. Although some cluster munition contamination remains from the 1982 conflicts, much of the contamination is the result of the 2006 conflict with Israel, during which nearly four million cluster …
Solutions For Increasing Physical Accessibility, Capacity Building And Psychological Support In Tajikistan, Reykhan Muminova
Solutions For Increasing Physical Accessibility, Capacity Building And Psychological Support In Tajikistan, Reykhan Muminova
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In order to fulfill requirements of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the city of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, modified the architecture of three public buildings and implemented a new psychological training process for medical centers in the area to provide awareness about disability rights and increase provision of psychological aid. The desired end goal is that advocacy will allow for increased public acceptance and understanding of disability while moving Tajikistan toward signing the CRPD.
Project Renew’S Prosthetics And Orthotics Mobile Outreach Program, Dang Quang Toan
Project Renew’S Prosthetics And Orthotics Mobile Outreach Program, Dang Quang Toan
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Project RENEW established a mobile outreach program to provide prostheses, orthotics and education to explosive remnants of war survivors in the remote communities of Vietnam.
Landmines In Croatia Pose Threat To Incoming Refugees, News Brief
Landmines In Croatia Pose Threat To Incoming Refugees, News Brief
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
After Hungary formally closed its border with Serbia on 15 September 2015, refugees fleeing conflict in the Middle East, Central Asia and Northern Africa have turned next to Croatia as a gateway to reach countries such as Sweden and Germany. The influx of refugees traversing the areas near the Croatia-Serbia border has raised concerns that refugees will encounter residual landmine contamination in Croatia as they make their way to Slovenia and Hungary. The contamination dates back to the four-year conflict which followed the disintegration of the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. The Croatian Mine Action Centre (CROMAC) estimates that …
Integrating Mre Into Humanitarian Responses In Iraq, Tammy Hall
Integrating Mre Into Humanitarian Responses In Iraq, Tammy Hall
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
As a result of conflict in Iraq, the safety and well-being of millions of refugees and internally displaced persons is at stake due to explosive remnants of war (ERW). In order to mitigate that threat, the Danish Refugee Council enlisted the help of the Danish Demining Group to incorporate mine and ERW risk education into existing humanitarian efforts in Iraq.
Remote Risk Education In Syria, Nikolaj Søndergaard
Remote Risk Education In Syria, Nikolaj Søndergaard
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Unable to be physically present in Syria due to ongoing conflict, DanChurchAid (DCA) is collaborating with a network of journalists and activists in order to assess the need for risk education in the country. By framing its risk education curriculum and strategies around this information, DCA’s mine action initiatives are tailor-fit for the hard-to-reach populations of war-ravaged Syria.
Risk Education In Northern Jordan, Lindsay Aldrich, Suzanne Fiederlein, Jessica Rosati
Risk Education In Northern Jordan, Lindsay Aldrich, Suzanne Fiederlein, Jessica Rosati
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
In 2013 and 2014, the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at James Madison University led a project funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) to provide explosive remnants of war risk education to Syrian refugees living in urban areas of northern Jordan. At the time, it was unclear whether the hundreds of thousands of Syrians fleeing the civil conflict and seeking refuge in neighboring countries would be able to return home in the near future, but there was still significant hope this would happen.
Providing Integrated Peer-Support Assistance To Landmine Survivors, Amir Mujanovic
Providing Integrated Peer-Support Assistance To Landmine Survivors, Amir Mujanovic
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Landmine Survivors Initiatives implemented a three-pronged, peer-support assistance system to meet landmine survivors’ needs in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This practice is the combination of an approach and methodology to provide integrated assistance to landmine survivors.
Caught In The Crossfire: Challenges To Providing Victim Assistance In Colombia, Michelle Miller
Caught In The Crossfire: Challenges To Providing Victim Assistance In Colombia, Michelle Miller
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Due to ongoing civil conflict, many Colombian civilians experience both financial and physical harm, but those living in rural areas have limited or no access to much-needed medical and economic assistance. In conjunction with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, as well as multi-national corporations, the Polus Center for Social and Economic Development assesses the needs of and provides rehabilitative services to residents in these remote areas.
Evolution Of Disability Rights In Iraq, Ken Rutherford, Megan Hinton
Evolution Of Disability Rights In Iraq, Ken Rutherford, Megan Hinton
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
Due to the many years of conflict in Iraq, landmines and explosive remnants of war resulted in a large population of persons with disabilities. People with disabilities in Iraq lack adequate housing, medical care, educational opportunities and legislation protecting their rights. Now is the time to create the legal framework protecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Humanitarian Mine Action In Afghanistan: A History, Ian Mansfield
Humanitarian Mine Action In Afghanistan: A History, Ian Mansfield
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
After a decade of Soviet occupation in Afghanistan and the resulting internal conflict, the removal of explosive remnants of war (ERW) became a complicated issue. Systematic clearance of ERW was difficult to establish due to the volatile security situation and an inability to regulate clearance work. However, due to collaboration between the United Nations and Afghan nongovernmental organizations, mine clearance operations were successfully established in Afghanistan in the 1990s.
Roots Of Peace: Cluster Munitions To Crops, Tucker Kuhn, Heidi Kuhn
Roots Of Peace: Cluster Munitions To Crops, Tucker Kuhn, Heidi Kuhn
The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction
By facilitating the removal of explosive remnants of war in rural Vietnam, Roots of Peace (ROP) aims to restore contaminated farmland to a safe, productive state. ROP encourages economic empowerment by training farmers in the production of cash crops, such as black pepper and taro.