缅北禁地

Two deminers in the field
Mine action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Photo:UNMAS DRC

Protecting Lives. Building Peace.

Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices continue to cause death and injury, especially in situations of armed conflict. On average, one person is killed or injured by such explosive device every hour. Many children are among the victims. The use of improvised explosive devices has expanded, terrorizing civilians and threatening humanitarian actors and United Nations missions and personnel.

In 2024 to commemorate the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, UNMAS is advocating for a greater awareness of the needs and rights of all people with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding settings. Bringing attention to the five-year anniversary of , which calls upon Member States and Security Council members to protect persons with disabilities, ensure they have access to assistance and are included in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

In light of the appointment of Mr. Giles Duley as the United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations, the 缅北禁地mine action community will seek to strengthen the implementation of resolution 2475 and focus attention on ensuring that no one, included persons with disabilities, is left behind.

Background

On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly that 4 April of each year shall be observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.

It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

For over 20 years, the work of the United Nations Mine Action Service () has been driven by the needs of affected people and tailored to the threat of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarians.

UNMAS works to save lives, to facilitate deployment of 缅北禁地missions and the delivery of humanitarian assistance, to protect civilians, to support the voluntary return of the internally displaced and refugees, to enable humanitarian and recovery activities and to advocate for international humanitarian and human rights law.

History

The United Nations advocates for the universalization of existing legal frameworks and encourages Member States to expand those regimes and develop new international instruments to protect civilians from the scourges of landmines and explosive remnants of war. It undertakes this work in collaboration with interested states, civil society, mine action and international organizations.

Since the , commonly known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention opened for signature in 1997, 164 countries have ratified or acceded to it. Advocacy by this unprecedented coalition raised public awareness of the impact of anti-personnel landmines on civilians and rallied global support for a total ban.

Article 6 of the Mine Ban Treaty provided for "victim assistance", making the care, rehabilitation and the social and economic reintegration of victims of mines an obligation of States Parties to the Convention. It set out that this assistance must meet the immediate and long-term needs of mine accident survivors, their families, mine-affected communities and persons with disabilities.

The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol () was adopted on 13 December 2006 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and was opened for signature on 30 March 2007. This Convention, which referred to the Mine Ban Convention, included all persons with disabilities.

In addition to anti-personnel mines, challenges remain with respect to all other explosive remnants of war. On 12 November 2006, the Secretary-General welcomed the entry into force of Protocol V on explosive remnants of war from the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and reiterated his call for its universalization and implementation. In December 2008, the Secretary-General welcomed the opening for signature of the , which was joined by 108 states.

Guided by its inter-agency policy, the (IACG-MA), consisting of 12 departments, agencies, funds and programmes, and with observer entities, such as the and continue to ensure system-wide coherence in all mine action pillars and activities.

The serves as an accountability framework for the United Nations system and participating entities, guiding efforts to prevent and address explosive ordnance threats during and after armed conflicts while supporting affected communities. As agreed by IACG-MA Principals in June 2023, this Strategy will no longer be timebound and will continue to be subject to periodic review every two years to coincide with the biennial report of the Secretary-General on assistance in mine action. The Principals of the IACG-MA endorsed the 缅北禁地Strategy on 13 December 2023. The Strategy came into effect as of 1 January 2024.

UNMAS Card

2024 Events

Multimedia exhibit “Witnessing a Way Forward: Protecting Lives. Building Peace.”

UNMAS digital exhibit

This exhibit invites visitors to hear from those directly involved in and affected by mine action around the world. It details how mine-affected and post-conflict communities are working together with state parties to bring about impactful and sustainable change.

Mr. Giles Duley, the United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations, shares stories of the people he has spent time with over the last decade, in his legacy of war documentation, through photos and films.

 

Documents

Links

Two UNMAS team members at work during the quality assurance mission in South Sudan.

The 缅北禁地aims for a world free of landmines and explosive remnants of war, where individuals and communities live in a safe environment conducive to development and where the needs of victims are met. Twelve 缅北禁地Departments and Offices of the Secretariat, specialized agencies, funds and programmes play a role in mine-action programs in 30 countries and three territories.  makes it possible for peacekeepers to carry out patrols, for humanitarian agencies to deliver assistance, and for ordinary citizens to live without the fear that a single misstep could cost them their lives.

 

Established in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) works to eliminate the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices by coordinating United Nations mine action, leading operational responses at the country level, and supporting the development of standards, policies and norms. As a specialized service of the United Nations located within the Department of Peace Operations, UNMAS operates under 缅北禁地legislative mandates of both the General Assembly and the Security Council. UNMAS also responds to specific requests for support from the 缅北禁地Secretary-General or designated official.

 

an abstract illustration of people engaged in an event

International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the 缅北禁地has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. We also mark other 缅北禁地observances.