Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Sourcebook On Socio-Economic Survey, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

The Sourcebook features many types of socio-economic surveys that have been used to inform mine clearance, victim assistance, risk education and development activities. These surveys form a rich body of practice that can inspire mine action practitioners to implement field surveys that improve their planning, priority-setting and reporting on results achieved.

Remote Explosive Scent Tracing Rest, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Remote Explosive Scent Tracing (REST) is essentially a survey methodology based on using dogs and rats to remotely detect landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). Systems similar to REST have been used in technical survey and mine clearance operations for 20 years, and have been subject to a study conducted by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) since 2000.

At that time, REST was considered one of the most promising avenues for speeding up demining operations and making them more cost-efficient, very much in the spirit of the land release concept. The GICHD got involved in the …

Survey And Clearance Of Unexploded Submunitions Versus Landmines And Other Erw, Åsa Gilbert, Michael Creighton

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The authors argue that survey and clearance methods in areas contaminated solely by unexploded submunitions (from cluster munitions) should be different than those in areas contaminated by mines and other explosive remnants of war to achieve the most efficient outcome. This article seeks to explain how and why procedures are different, and proposes a land-release methodology for dealing with unexploded submunitions.

Land-Release Information Management: Advocating For A Collaborative Approach, Aurora Martinez, Daniel Eriksson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

For land release to become more efficient and less dangerous, operations on the ground need accurate information. Collaboration between information management and operational planning will help increase safety while working toward releasing more land. The most challenging aspect of land release is the identification of boundaries around contaminated areas, and using new information technologies will aid not only operation managers in the area, but also senior managers setting long-term goals.

Information-Management Activities At The Gichd, Daniel Eriksson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Two years have passed since a new strategy was adopted for the information-management section at the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. A significant amount of work was completed since then, and the support and quality of the Information Management System for Mine Action has improved. The new focus on information management in a broader sense, not just limited to databases and software, has enabled country programs to collect relevant information for more effective demining operations. Although much work remains, a few key developments deserve mentioning.

Mapping Populations At Risk Of Erw, Pierre Lacroix, Jonas Herzog, Daniel Eriksson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Having precise, available data on recorded explosive remnants of war hazards does not necessarily represent the big picture concerning the contamination distribution in a country. However, when available datasets are evaluated with population-density data, heavy concentrations of ERW hazards are more easily detectable. This article examines a few of the many tasks that can be achieved by analyzing ERW hazard data and by combining it with other information.

Modifying Imsma Training: The Mine Action Information Management Qualification Scheme, Aurora Martinez, Daniel Eriksson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

The Mine Action Information Management Qualification Scheme (MIQ) is a new training tool for the Information Management System for Mine Action. It was created in response to the Next Generation version of IMSMA, the newest version of the system. The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining eliminated the rigid and unnecessary parts of the training-system in order to make MIQ more user-friendly. The MIQ scheme is currently being incorporated into several countries’ information-management programs, but it could still use input as it is being refined and implemented.

Humanitarian Disarmament, Pascal Rapillard

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article examines the evolution of international humanitarian law, specifically as it relates to the conventions banning or restricting conventional weapons. The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction and the Convention on Cluster Munitions are discussed here, as they form a distinctive type of disarmament—humanitarian disarmament.

Land Rights In Mine-Affected Countries, Jon Unruh, Gabrielle Chaizy, Sharmala Naidoo

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Land rights in conflict and post-conflict environments is an increasing area of concern within humanitarian and development communities. When conflicts end, land rights may be threatened, especially for women, subsistence farmers and other marginalized populations. Secure land rights are, therefore, a critical issue for humanitarian response, sustainable peace-building and longer-term economic recovery, particularly in countries where agriculture is key to livelihoods. While mine-action activities such as priority-setting, survey and clearance bring mine-action organizations into direct contact with land-rights issues, most tend to avoid these issues. This article looks at how mine-action organizations can better address land issues.

Gichd Wins Making A Difference Award, News Brief

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In July 2011, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining was presented with a prestigious, geographic industry award for its work in developing and implementing the Information Management System for Mine Action.

Assisting Landmine And Other Erw Survivors In The Context Of Disarmament, Disability And Development, Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

A decade of deliberations on the problems caused by conventional weapons has resulted in various international legal instruments. Based on the precedents established through more than a decade of efforts to implement the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, there is consistency amongst these instruments. Different legal instruments, but with a uniform approach as concerns assisting victims and survivors of landmines and other explosive remnants of war, present certain opportunities. These opportunities concern ensuring coherence, closer cooperation and efficiency, ultimately with a view to achieving the greatest impact on the ground in affected communities. Taking advantage of these opportunities means enhancing the …

Understanding Mine Clearance In The Context Of The Ap Mine Ban Convention, Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

The Convention's parties, with the support of a wide range of organisations, have made great progress in the pursuit of their aim of clearing all mined areas. There is an ongoing need, however, to ensure that all actors involved in the implementation of the Convention are clear regarding what “Article 5” obliges States to do and what it does not, what the understandings of the States Parties are concerning the implementation of Article 5, and what the mechanisms put in place related to fulfilment of Article 5 are. To assist in meeting this need, the ISU, with project funding provided …

Landmine And Land Rights In Conflict Affected Contexts, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This policy brief describes the important linkages between land rights and landmines in conflict-affected contexts. Its purpose is to deepen awareness within the broader mine action and development communities about these linkages, and provide guidance on how to effectively mainstream land rights issues into mine action operations.

Geneva International Centre For Humanitarian Demining 2010 Annual Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

2010 was an important year for everyone striving for a world free of landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war. It was particularly important for the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) and for its implementation. The evaluation of the APMBC Implementation Support Unit (ISU) confirmed the appreciation of the States Parties and other stakeholders for the effective work of the ISU and for the role played by the GICHD in hosting it.

Moreover, the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) on 1 August 2010 represented a positive legal and political step in supporting the …

Geneva International Centre For Humanitarian Demining 2010 Annual Report, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Annual report on the work of the GICHD for 2010.