Mine action
Mine action is a domain within humanitarian aid and development studies concerned with activities which aim to reduce the social, economic and environmental impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war (ERW). Mine action deals with the many effects of landmine and ERW contamination on people and societies.
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[edit] Description
Mine action is commonly represented as comprising five complementary groups of activities:
- Humanitarian demining, i.e. mine and ERW survey, land release, mapping, marking and clearance
- Risk education (RE), i.e. the communication to the public of the risk of ERW and how to act in the presence of ERW
- Victim assistance, including rehabilitation and reintegration
- Stockpile destruction
- Advocacy to promote policies and practices that will reduce the threat from landmines and ERW, usually in the context of disarmament and international humanitarian law. The most commonly applied treaties including the 1997 anti-personnel Mine Ban Treaty, the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The objective of mine action is to reduce the risk caused by landmines and ERW to a level where people can live safely. This state is a situation in which economical, social and health development can occur free from the constraints imposed by landmine and ERW contamination[1], and in which the victims’ needs can be addressed.
The coordination of mine action activities in affected countries is commonly conducted by Mine Action Coordination Centers (MACC) managed either by the United Nations or the host country government.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Internation Mine Action Standards, Chapter 04.10 - Glossary of mine action terms, definitions and abbreviations
[edit] External links
- E-mine UN's electronic mine information network
- International Mine Action Standards IMAS
