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What is the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)?

The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) is an extensive network of organisations working to eliminate antipersonnel landmines.

About 1,400 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in over 90 countries support the campaign. It calls for a comprehensive ban on antipersonnel mines: a ban on the use, production, stockpiling, sale, transfer or export of antipersonnel landmines.

Aims

We advocate for:

The promotion of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty: we urge States Parties to fully implement the agreement and non-members to join the treaty and adhere to the emerging international norm against antipersonnel mines
Increased resources for landmine victim rehabilitation and assistance
Increased resources for humanitarian demining and mine risk education programmes

History

The campaign won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, together with its then coordinator, Jody Williams. The Norwegian Nobel Committee applauded the campaign for changing a ban from "a vision to a feasible reality" and recognized it as a model for disarmament and peace.

Much has been achieved since six organisations came together in 1992 to launch the ICBL. Still, the ICBL remains committed to maximising the global political momentum it helped create. "We will continue to work diligently… [towards] our goal of a world free of mines, where all survivors can live in dignity" (Jody Williams, September 2002).

Currently, the ICBL has six staff members. Its coordinating committee has representatives from 13 member organisations. The ICBL’s broad-ranging members include: human rights, humanitarian, children, peace, disability, mine action, development, religious, medical and women's groups.

Brief history of ICBL: http://www.icbl.org/info/history.html
Jody Williams, ICBL Ambassador, co-Nobel Peace Prize laureate: http://www.icbl.org/amb/williams/.