THE PROBLEM WITH LANDMINES
Dec 24, 2015
THE PROBLEM WITH LANDMINES… IS THEIR
HUMANITARIAN IMPACT• At least 4,000 new casualties in 2009
• 3,000 km2 of contaminated land, in over 70 countries and areas
• Over 350 types of landmines have been found since World War I
• The most affected countries are among the world’s poorest - including Afghanistan, Cambodia, Colombia, Lao PDR, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan, Somalia.
THE SOLUTION
•All landmines must be found and destroyed
•All landmines survivors must be fully cared for
•All countries must never use or produce landmines again
In 1997, as a result of unprecedented cooperation between
civil society and governments, The Ottawa Convention was adopted as a solution to
the global scourge of landmines.
Treaty Obligations Clear landmines and teach people about the dangers
Stockpile DestructionMine Clearance
©Sean Sutton, Reuters
©ICRC/V. Ivleva-Yorke/ao-e-00249h
Mine Risk Education
©Gaëtan de Beaupuis
Treaty Obligations
Provide for the needs and rights of survivors everywhere
Institute For Rehabilitation, Slovenia 2005
Emergency assistanceNew limbs and rehabilitation
Social reintegration© Amaya Valcárcel
©ICBL-Georgian Committee
• 156 countries have joined the Ottawa Convention (80% of the world)
• Dramatic reduction in the # of casualties
• Only a few countries continue to lay new mines
• Vast tracts of land have been cleared and are available for development
• Destruction of remaining stockpiles
But we still need to finish the job…
SUCESSES SO FAR
Canada is a leader in the international movement to ban
landmines.
And so too are the Canadian people!
Ordinary people can have an extraordinary impact
©ICRC
Become part of the global network
of activists and
campaigners making a mine-free world
a realityreality -and not
just a dream