International Campaign to Ban Landmines, 2009 Annual Report

Please click on the PDF icon above for the full 2009 annual report. The financial statement is available at the end of this page.

2009 was marked by the need for an honest and thorough assessment of the progress made since the first Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty (2004), followed by a recommitment by all actors to work faithfully towards the goal of a mine-free world where survivors see their needs addressed and their rights respected. Under the slogan "A Mine-Free World: Mission Possible", the ICBL engaged intensively with governments and the general public throughout the year to call for and contribute to such an assessment and recommitment. Those efforts paid out: the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World made it clear that the international community remains firmly engaged in addressing the landmine issue through the full universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty. It also sent a signal to the world that the landmine problem is not solved yet and needs the continued energy of all stakeholders.

Victim assistance remains the aspect of mine action that saw the least progress since the Mine Ban Treaty entered into force. Pushing for real change in the lives of mine survivors has been a key undertaking of the ICBL in 2009, through the "Progress on the Ground" initiative that fosters greater and more strategic involvement of its members working on victim assistance. With our support, survivors made their voice heard with their local and national authorities throughout the year, culminating with the delivery of the Survivors' Call to Action in front of high-level government delegates at the Cartagena Summit on a Mine-Free World. The Cartagena Declaration adopted by all States Parties to the treaty recognized the need to "ensure the full and effective participation and inclusion of mine victims" in all aspects of the life of their communities, and the ICBL commits to keep working towards this goal.

The pace of Mine Ban Treaty universalization has slowed down in recent years, and came to an apparent halt with no new accessions/ratifications since November 2007. However, continuous engagement with states not party by the ICBL and its members did contribute to a few incremental results. These included: participation of the US in the Cartagena Summit and initiation of a comprehensive review of US landmine policy; Mongolia reengaging in the dialog on accession; Nepal attending the Cartagena Summit at a high level; and Lao PDR confirming its intention to join the treaty.

As a member of the Steering Committee of the Cluster Munition Coalition, the ICBL continued to mobilize its network and use its experience to work on the universalization and to encourage the first implementation steps of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. Always developed and carried out in close cooperation with the Cluster Munition Coalition and relevant national campaigns, joint lobbying activities contributed to highlighting the close ties between the Mine Ban Treaty and the Convention on Cluster Munitions' humanitarian aims and practical implementation.

In countries affected by landmines and cluster munitions, we believe our work contributes to post-conflict reconstruction, consolidation of peace and sustainable development. Trough our national campaign mobilization and support programme, we contribute to strengthening the voice of civil society in many countries and we empower non-governmental organizations on the long term, encouraging them to closely work with their governments on implementing international humanitarian law and human rights.

To ensure such mobilization can continue in an efficient way for as long as needed, the ICBL and the Cluster Munition Coalition undertook parallel, wide-ranging consultation processes with their respective memberships in 2009, about future priorities and structures, including the future relationship and potential synergies between both organizations. Based on the findings of the consultations, the leadership of both campaigns made a proposal for the future that was presented to campaigners in a joint meeting on 5 December. Campaigners welcomed the proposal and entrusted both the Management Committee of the ICBL and Steering Committee of the CMC to further develop it in the course of 2010, for the merger to become effective in 2011.

The ICBL is committed to work until the promises of the Mine Ban Treaty and Convention on Cluster Munitions are fulfilled and to keep doing so in partnership with like-minded states, the United Nations, international organizations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. As Denise Coghlan of the ICBL Management Committee wrote in her May 2009 newsletter editorial: "The first reason why we campaign is people, people whose lives have been changed forever because of the presence of explosive remnants of war in their villages or forests or fields … The second reason is people again."