Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Rbm And Theories Of Change, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

“Give me your money; I’m busy doing things” is not the most convincing fundraising appeal. Instead, “Look at the difference our program has made to the lives of the people that were helped” is far more likely to get a positive response. The overall purpose of mine action is to improve people’s lives and livelihoods, to reduce casualties, and increase compliance with political commitments like the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC). Although this is widely known, standard reporting excessively includes information on how many people received risk education, how many square meters of land were cleared, or how many people …

The Role Of Research In Mine Action: A Response To Gasser, Ian Mclean, Rebecca Sargisson

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Some years ago, a businessman came to me and said that he would like to start commercially farming lobsters, something that had not been attempted at the time. His key question was, “How long will the development research take?”

“I would think two to four years before a scaling-up exercise to make it commercially viable,” I answered.

Looking genuinely surprised he replied, “Really! I was thinking it should take about two weeks.”

This anecdote portrays a problem that emerges in almost every area of human enterprise. Those-who-do want and need to do right now. Those-who-create need time to design, build, …

Technology Research In Mine Action: Enough Is Enough, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Twenty years ago I started work on a doctorate thesis asking the question: “Why has research into new technologies for mine action had so little success?” My research discovered that about one billion dollars had been spent by the year 2000 on fundamental and applied research to produce new technologies to solve the mine problem. The resulting benefit for humanitarian mine action was indeed very small. Since then, large-scale spending has continued with limited success. Researchers and their funders have not learned from continued, expensive failure. There is clear cause and effect at work, which means that many research projects …

Post-Clearance Inspection: How Much Is Enough?, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Post-clearance inspection serves to check contamination of land on a per square meter basis. Although inspection does little in the way of explaining the quality of the work done in demining operations, it can be important in providing an incentive for deminers to produce higher quality work.

Quality Management In Vietnam: Building A National Iso 9001 System, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Vietnam’s pilot quality management (QM) project in Ha Tinh province has proven successful in its implementation of the international QM standard ISO 9001. The next step for GICHD and partners will be to support Vietnam in establishing ISO 9001 QM on a national scale.

Linking Mine Action And Development: Local-Level Benefits And Challenges, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

In many post-conflict regions, landmines and explosive remnants of war remain, limiting recovery and development even after mine-clearance projects are completed. A number of mine-clearance organizations are starting to promote “linking mine action and development” as a better alternative to a separate and uncoordinated approach.

Mine Risk Management By Mapping, Russell Gasser, Goran Knežević, Michael Carrier

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article discusses the issues and benefits involved in attaining information on local areas containing explosive remnants of war through the local population that use these areas, a process called direct mapping. Once collected, data is used to discern which areas, based on the local population’s activities, deserve the highest clearance priorities. This process is described through in-depth analysis of the steps involved.

The Surprisingly Constant Cost Of Landmine Impact Surveys, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Landmine Impact Surveys involve survey teams that work with the local people to evaluate how landmines and unexploded ordnance affect daily lives. The Survey Action Center, United Nations and the affected countries closely regulate this process to ensure the preservation of high standards.

Evaluation Of Ec Funded Mine Action Programmes In Latin America, 2002-2007 - Regional Report, Russell Gasser

Global CWD Repository

The EC Anti-Personnel Landmine Regulation of 2001 mandated evaluations of EC Mine Action strategy every three years. The first report was a Global Evaluation published in 2005, this report forms one part of the 2008 evaluation by regions and covers Latin America, 2002-2007.

Total EC funding for mine action in Latin America in the period 2002-2007 was about 8 million euros, roughly 2% of the EC total worldwide budget for mine action. Sixty-eight percent of the eight million euros was from the dedicated thematic Anti-Personnel Landmine budget line and 31% was from the geographic budget for Colombia. There were also …

Ec-Funded Mine Action In Latin America Volume 2 - Country Reports, Russell Gasser

Global CWD Repository

The EC Anti-Personnel Landmine Regulation of 2001 mandated evaluations of EC Mine Action strategy every three years. The first report was a Global Evaluation published in 2005, but this report forms one part of the 2008 evaluation by regions and covers Latin America, 2002-2007.

Total EC funding for mine action in Latin America in the period 2002-2007 was about 8 million euros, roughly 2% of the EC total world wide budget for mine action. Sixty-eight percent of the eight million euros was from the dedicated thematic Anti-Personnel Landmine budget line and 31% was from the geographic budget for Colombia. There …

Humanitarian Demining Research: The Future Role Of The European Union, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

This article aims to give an introduction to the information about the European Union’s (EU) Research and Technological Development (RTD) programme which is available on several of the EU websites. The sites are listed below.

Interview With An Amateur Deminer, Nicaragua 2001, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

After losing a bull and a pig to landmines in his fields, a Nicaraguan campesino undertakes the arduous task of meticulously removing 500 AP mines from his farm. The Nicaraguan Army discourages amateur demining because of the danger, but many who depend on the land for survival resort to mine clearance to make their plots safe and usable.

Feedback Prodders: A Training Tool To Improve Deminer Safety, Russell Gasser

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Improved feedback prodders inform deminers of the amount of force exerted and alert them when the prodder’s angle approached or exceeds the 30 degree limit.

The Human Touch, Russell Gasser, Terry Thomas

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Biting insects, inaccessible terrain, impenetrable bamboo thickets and thorn bushes. Mine clearance in Cambodia is a hot, sweaty business at the best of times. Because tripwires hidden in the undergrowth could trigger explosions, the vegetation has to be cleared by hand before mine detection can start. It is a tedious matter and can occupy two-thirds of a mine clearer's working day.

Developing New Technology For Humanitarian Demining, Russell Gasser, Terry Thomas

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction

Despite the spending of hundreds of millions of dollars on high-tech research over the last few years, local humanitarian deminers still use traditional prodders and metal detectors. The biggest recent technical innovation has been mechanical vegetation clearance which was mostly developed in the field and bypassed the research route.

Evaluation Of The Netherland's Financial Assistance For Humanitarian Demining Activities In 1996-2006 Bosnia Herzegovina, Russell Gasser, Jacqueline Dees, Ferko Ory

Global CWD Repository

This report presents the findings of the evaluation mission conducted from 14-29 June 2007. Meetings were held with key stakeholders and field visits were made throughout the territory of BiH. Because the bulk of the Dutch money went to capacity-building, the evaluation team visitied six of the regional offices of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Mine Action Centre (BHMAC) and meetings were held with the local staff. Additionally the team visited 5 sites cleared with Dutch money because, although clearance was only a minor part in the total funding of Humanitarian Mine Action in BiH.

Evaluation Of The Unicef Mine Risk Education Programme In Bosnia Herzegovina 2007, Russell Gasser, Almedina Music

Global CWD Repository

Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is heavily contaminated with landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). There are also significant problems with small arms and light weapons (SALW), both in terms of vast unused stockpiles of weapons, ammunition and explosives - some of which is in very poor condition - and also illegal weapons ownership by an estimated 16% of the total population. A Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) in 2002-2003 revealed that about 4% of the land area and over 1300 communities were affected by mines and UXO. Clearance has been coordinated by the BiH Mine Action Centre (BHMAC) and …