Public Policy Commons^™

Enhancing Mine Action Operations With High-Resolution Uas Imagery, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Following a two-year feasibility study, The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) last year moved its unmanned aircraft system (UAS) program into its operational testing phase, working with The HALO Trust and MAG in Angola to analyse the real-world benefits that unmanned aerial systems (UAS) can bring to demining activities.

15th Meeting Of The States Parties To The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty (2016), Apmbc

Global CWD Repository

The 15th Meeting of States Parties to the AP Mine Ban Convention is a formal, diplomatic meeting of the 162 States which have accepted the Convention. They include most of the States that at one time used, stockpiled, produced or transferred AP mines and the vast majority of States that are or have been affected by AP mines. Several States that are not party to the Convention are expected to attend as Observers.

The 15MSP is a springboard to further action and an opportunity to reemphasize the commitment made by States Parties in the Maputo Declaration to implement the Convention …

Ddasaccident825, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On the 29th of November 2016 at [International demining organization] task NDO-235 S, an uncontrolled detonation of a GYATA 64 AP mine occurred while [International demining organization] MTT 1 deminer [the Victim] was working in his lane (11 minutes into his second shift) and led to an injury.

The injuries sustained by [the Victim] resulted in the amputation of his left pinky finger, and severe wound in his left index finger, burns in his left wrist, severe wound in his right forearm and some minor wounds and scratches in the front area of his legs.

Based on all available evidences, …

A Guide To Developing National Mine Action Standards, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) are issued by a national mine action authority (NMAA) or an organisation acting on its behalf. They guide the management and implementation of mine action projects in in a safe, coordinated and efficient manner. NMAS must reflect the national situation posed by the hazards of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) both on land and in the water. They should also consider the environmental impact of these hazards, the situation of survivors and victims, as well as the legislation that supports a strategic response to these known hazards and their residual contamination. The aim …

The Sixth Meeting Of States Parties To The Convention On Cluster Munitions (2016), Ccm

Global CWD Repository

The 6MSP, presided by the Netherlands, marked the first formal meeting of the Convention after the adoption of the Dubrovnik Action Plan, a five-year action plan that provides a roadmap for States Parties to implement and universalize the Convention.

At the end of the 6MSP, States Parties adopted a political declaration. Through the political declaration, States Parties commit to fully implement all of their individual and collective outstanding obligations as quickly as possible and as conditions in affected states would allow in partnership with the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Cluster Munition Coalition and …

Report Of The Informal Meeting On Mines Other Than Anti-Personnel (Motapm Or Anti-Vehicle Mines), Gichd, United Nations Mine Action Service, United Nations Office For Disarmament Affairs

Global CWD Repository

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) jointly hosted an informal one day meeting to examine the humanitarian and developmental impact of anti-vehicle mines/mines other than antipersonnel mines (MOTAPM), discuss possible solutions and highlight the need for the international community to move forward and take specific action.

The meeting took place on Friday 6 November 2015 in Geneva. Upwards of 80 delegates attended the meeting, which included representatives from over 50 states, the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross, non-governmental …

Victim Assistance In The Context Of The Use Of Explosive Weapons In Populated Areas, Hi

Global CWD Repository

The international process underway to develop a political declaration on preventing civilian harm from the use of explosive weapons1 in populated areas is making good progress. Meanwhile, the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW) and other national and international organisations are working alongside leading governments to ensure the declaration will be comprehensive and will effectively meet the expectations of those suffering from the consequences of explosive weapons use around the world.

Wishing to contribute to the political declaration drafting process, Handicap International, supported by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, launched an initiative with a view to developing …

Geopolitical Implications Of The Sino-Japanese East China Sea Dispute For The U.S., Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Much analysis on Asian strategic challenges facing the U.S. has justifiably emphasized the South China Sea (SCS). This has also been reflected in 2016 presidential campaign debate on the SCS as an emerging area of U.S. foreign and national security policy concern. The East China Sea (ECS) is at least as important for the strategic interests of the U.S. and its allies given the tension between China and Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, potential energy resources in this body of water, increasing defense spending by adjacent geographic powers, the area’s importance as a maritime international trade route, and the possibility …

Brexit Vote Could Allow For Nuclear Weapons Rethink, Erika Simpson, Bill Kidd

Political Science Publications

No abstract provided.

Mine Detection Rats | Apopo: Efficiency And Effectiveness Study Using Mdr Capability, Gichd, Anti-Persoonsmijnen Ontmijnende Product Ontwikkeling

Global CWD Repository

As the laboratory rat is one of the most widely studied animals, the abundance of available research material on its olfactory capabilities is not surprising. However, very little information can be found on their mine/ERW detection abilities. Consequently, in late 2015, GICHD conducted a study of APOPO’s Mine Detection Rat (MDR) programs in Angola, Mozambique and Cambodia. The aim of the study was to focus on the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the MDR, as well as to determine compliance with the International Mine Action Standards (IMAS). Within the sector, MDR suffer from a negative perception of scent detection as …

A Guide To Survey And Clearance Of Underwater Explosive Ordnance, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This guide focuses on providing a collection of current policy and best practices used in survey and clearance of underwater explosive ordnance. Specific cases are used; they provide examples and analysis. It is not intended to be a comprehensive database of policies and practices; it provides national authorities and mine action organisations with guidance to better understand the issues and complexities of underwater EO survey and clearance operations.

Ddasaccident812, Hd-Aid

Global CWD Repository

On 17/05/2016 the operation manager of [Demining organization involved] has contacted us by telephone to inform about explosion of an IED in their worksite or the risk (Hazard) area 012 in the village of Tal Al-Rabiea /Daquq /Kirkuk and after the call, the in-charge person of Quality Assurance: [Name removed] and his assistant: [Name removed] we have moved toward the location in order to collect necessary information and taking the photos of the place of the incident. According to the information gained by the board it was found that the affected person: [the Victim] has intended to render some IEDs …

Sri Lanka National Mine Action Strategy 2016-2020, Ministry Of Prison Reforms, Rehabilitation, Resettlement, And Hindu Religious Affairs

Global CWD Repository

This national mine action strategy was developed with the active participation of all relevant stakeholders in Sri Lanka’s mine action programme, including:

• representatives from the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL);

• Sri Lankan Army Humanitarian Demining Units (SLA HDUs);

• national and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and

• civil society organisations.

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) assisted with facilitating a four-day strategy and prioritisation workshop in Colombo in June 2015, bringing all key stakeholders together. The strategy is based on information gathered during that workshop as well as on follow-on meetings and discussions on specific topics. …

Advanced Training On Ammunition Identification And Disposal In Afghanistan, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

GICHD delivered an advanced level training course on ammunition identification and disposal in Kabul, Afghanistan on 16-29 April 2016. The focus of the course was to build on existing skillsets and improve the knowledge of the characteristics of NATO and other ammunition encountered in Afghanistan.

By not offering a formal IMAS explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) qualification and associated testing protocols, the course curriculum allowed flexibility. On the first day the program was customised to the assessed needs of the attendees, based on the feedback from interviews with them all. As a result the curriculum allowed, for the practicing of alternative …

A Guide To Cluster Munitions, Gichd, Convention On Cluster Munitions

Global CWD Repository

Since the CCM entered into force in 2010, much expertise has been acquired by States Parties and partner organisations. This expertise addresses challenges in treaty compliance and best practices that have been developed within the sector to support effective and efficient implementation of the Convention.

This new edition of A Guide to Cluster Munitions features updated information on the Convention’s key obligations such as stockpile destruction and cluster munitions clearance. It features comprehensive descriptions and illustrations of the types of cluster munitions in contaminated areas. It also explores good practices in risk education and victim assistance, as well as other …

Geopolitics Of The 2016 Australian Defense White Paper And Its Predecessors, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Australia released the newest edition of its Defense White Paper, describing Canberra’s current and emerging national security priorities, on February 25, 2016. This continues a tradition of issuing defense white papers since 1976. This work will examine and analyze the contents of this document as well as previous Australian defense white papers, scholarly literature, and political statements assessing their geopolitical significance. It will also examine public input into Australian defense white papers and the emerging role of social media in this public involvement. It concludes by evaluating whether Australia has the political will and economic resources necessary to fulfill its …

Afghan National Mine Action Strategic Plan 2016-2020, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

This is the first mine action strategic plan to be developed in consultation with all relevant mine action implementing partners, including the United Nations, government line ministries, international donors and other stakeholders. It sets out clearer path for mainstreaming development into mine action, an aspiration reflected in the Plan's following five goals: facilitating development; engaging with other sectors; taking action to reduce the impact of mines and ERW; taking action to mitigate the consequences of mine and ERW accidents; mainstreaming gender and diversity.

An Independent Review Of The Mine Action Sector In Cambodia, Gichd

Global CWD Repository

Cambodia is one of the oldest and most established mine action programmes in the world. Because of its extensive landmine and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) contamination and the early response that was provided 25 years ago with the assistance of the international community, the country's mine action sector has developed a robust and qualified capacity of national professionals and has benefited from the assistance of an extensive number of international organizations as well as the massive support from international development partners.

As a State Party to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), Cambodia has demonstrated a strong commitment in …

Jesus With A Kalashnikov: Examining Marxist Elements In Liberation Theology And Soviet Influence On Its Origins, Todd "Cameron" Swathwood Jr

Senior Honors Theses

Liberation theology emerged as a prominent feature of religion and politics in the 1960s. Since the beginning, detractors have noted the overtly Marxist tendencies within this ideology. This thesis introduces the core concepts and presuppositions of liberation theology itself, and then focuses on specific and varied allegations concerning any influence the Soviet Union may have had on its formation and propagation. Particular weight is lent to the testimony of Lieutenant General Ion Mihai Pacepa, formerly the head of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu’s national intelligence service and the highest-ranking defector ever received from the Soviet Bloc. Pacepa has shared his insider …

"Chinese Military Space Power: U.S. Department Of Defense Annual Reports, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Following instructions received from the U.S. Congress in the 2000 National Defense Authorization Act, the Department of Defense prepared an annual report on Chinese military power. This report contains classified and unclassif ied editions. Documenting Chinese military space power developments was one of the provisions in this law’s authorizing language. This article will examine how Chinese military space power documents have been described by the Department of Defense during this report's existence through 2015 and detail how members of Congress and Congressional committee hearing witnesses reacted to these developments in Congressional hearing transcripts and in Congressional debate through Fall 2015.

Sustainable Development Goals Worth Sharing, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The international community has agreed upon another set of goals for the next 15 years. On the table are no less than 169 objectives and 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The new aspirations are summarized and the merits and demerits of further elaboration and measurement including country-specific deadlines and targets are discussed. The hefty budget to achieve all 17 goals is estimated at more than $4 trillion US a year. North American policy-makers need to be aware of humankind’s shared aspirations as they consider the new and expensive SDGs. Foreign aid is one of the instruments of North American foreign …

U.S. Congressional Committee Hearings On Korea During The 113th Congress 2013-2014: Overseeing Multifaceted Aspects Of Washington's Peninsular Interests, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

Numerous U.S. government agencies are involved in developing and implementing U.S. policy toward Korean Peninsula events, trends, and developments. Those studying U.S. government policies toward this region need to pay particular attention to the role played by U.S. Congressional committees in this policymaking. Congressional committees are responsible for approving new legislation, revising existing legislation, funding U.S. government programs and conducting oversight of these programs. This work examines Congressional committee hearings and debate during the 113th Congress (2013–2014) and reveals that multiple Congressional committees with varying jurisdictions seek to shape U.S. government Korean Peninsula policy and that this policymaking covers more …

Geopolitics Of The 2015 British Defense White Paper And Its Historical Predecessors, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Scholarship and Research

On November 23, 2015 the United Kingdom (UK) released a defense white paper detailing its national security strategic objectives. This work examines the geopolitical, economic, and strategic implications of this document and compares it with recent and historical defense white paper documents issued by the British government. It scrutinizes the text of these documents and relevant scholarly literature analyzing them while also examining the national security threats facing the UK at the time of their issuance and assesses whether the 2015 document will be supported with requisite political will, military personnel, and financial support to carry out its objectives

Apopo Annual Report 2016, Apopo

Global CWD Repository

APOPO is a global non-profit organization registered in Belgium that researches, develops and implements detection rat technology for humanitarian purposes. Detection rats, nicknamed HeroRATs, save lives by detecting landmines and tuberculosis. APOPO is headquartered in Tanzania and clears landmines in Mozambique, Angola and Cambodia, and soon in Zimbabwe. APOPO also detects tuberculosis in Tanzania and Mozambique and soon in Ethiopia. APOPO’s research and development center is based in Tanzania.

Ammunition Safety Management | Preventing Loss Of Life And Property And Diversion From Stockpiles, Samuel Paunila, Andrew Hoole

Global CWD Repository

The international community has been actively engaged in mine action for over 20 years. Clearance has been remarkably successful both in reclaiming land and making life safer for some of the most disadvantaged people in the world. As the number of casualties due to landmines has fallen, we have seen the number of deaths and injuries caused by explosions in ammunition storage areas rise and an increasing diversion of ammunition away from state stockpiles and into the hands of non-state actors.

Poorly managed stockpiles of ammunition present two distinct threats to the wider community: the risk of an explosion within …

Unmas Brochure 2016, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

UNMAS (United Nations Mine Action Service) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1997and is the coordinator for mine action in the United Nations system. Mine action comprises five pillars: clearance, risk education, victim assistance, advocacy and stockpile destruction.

Mine Action And Peace Mediation, Gichd, Swiss Peace

Global CWD Repository

The humanitarian consequences of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) are extensive and long lasting. This fact suggests the relevance of having them addressed in negotiations among conflict parties and included in ceasefire and peace agreements. Nevertheless, the link between mine action (also called humanitarian demining) and peace mediation is underexplored in practice and theory as is illustrated by the limited guidance and literature on the matter. This issue brief aims to explore to what extent the two communities of practice could overcome the tendency of working in isolation and benefit from one another. It also shows that mine …

Solidarity In Action: Norwegian People's Aid Annual Report 2016, Npa

Global CWD Repository

Norwegian People’s Aid is a membership organisation that

was founded in 1939.

We are the labour movement’s humanitarian organisation for solidarity. The foundation of our organisation rests on the labour movement’s fundamental values: Unity, solidarity and human dignity.

The value basis for Norwegian People’s Aid is rooted in equal rights for all, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, disability and social status.

Norwegian People’s Aid shall be a credible, fearless organisation; an organisation which adopts independent standpoints on the basis of knowledge and experience from practical work, and which challenges power and injustice.

‘Solidarity in action’ is our vision …

The United Nations Policy On Victim Assistance In Mine Action, Unmas

Global CWD Repository

This Policy on Victim Assistance in Mine Action replaces the 2003 “Mine Action and effective coordination: the United Nations policy - Sectoral policy: The scope of action of mine action centres and organizations in victim assistance”. It reflects the significant changes in the legal and policy framework for victim assistance which have occurred since 2003, and prevails to language relevant to victim assistance contained in “Mine Action and Effective Coordination: The United Nations Inter-Agency Policy”, which was approved by the InterAgency Coordination Group on Mine Action (IACG-MA)1 at the Principals’ level on 6 June 2005.

Linking Mine Action And Ssr, Geneva Centre For The Democratic Control Of Armed Forces

Global CWD Repository

SSR Papers is a flagship DCAF publication series intended to contribute innovative thinking on important themes and approaches relating to security sector reform (SSR) in the broader context of security sector governance. Intended for researchers, policymakers and practitioners involved in this field, the papers provide original and provocative analysis on topics that are directly linked to the challenges of a governance-driven SSR agenda.