International Campaign to Ban Landmines, 2006 Annual Report

The year 2006 provided several key opportunities for renewing energy around and interest in the Mine Ban Treaty. Throughout the year, the ICBL was represented at many landmine-related conferences, including a large and active delegation at the Standing Committee (ISC) meetings, which took place from 12 to 18 May, and also at the 7th Meeting of the States Parties (7MSP), 18 to 22 September in Geneva. The 7MSP was an important time for the ICBL to organize, and participate in advocacy activities, side events, media opportunities and planning for the coming year. In addition, the end of 2006 marked the beginning of the 10th anniversary of the Ottawa Process. The ICBL took full advantage of this special occasion to raise the profile of the treaty and call for renewed dedication to global adherence and implementation.

A series of advocacy missions were conducted in 2006 to reach out to new audiences and to reinforce ICBL's messages to governments, parliamentarians, journalists and the general public. These missions and conferences provided an opportunity for ICBL staff to work with national campaigns on their planning and development of advocacy goals. Capacity building for ICBL members took on an even greater importance in this period as ICBL staff began to count on them for greater in-country advocacy. As such, in 2006, the ICBL continued focusing on enhancing the skills of national campaigns and assessing their needs through individual communications and consultations, as opposed to group trainings.

Work on universalisation remained a priority for the ICBL, as evidenced by a solid number of missions to targeted countries by the ICBL Advocacy Director, its Diplomatic Advisor, and members. These missions supplemented the on-going engagement with governments carried out by ICBL national campaigns.

The ICBL’s Treaty Implementation Director was actively engaged in local advocacy through her work with various diplomats, the Coordinating Committee, the ISU, ICRC and other partners based in Geneva.

In 2006, the ICBL continued to use and develop communication tools to facilitate information exchanges within the campaign, including the improvement of its newsletter. During the reporting period, the Landmine Monitor team worked on the 2006 report, and the ICBL contributed an ICBL chapter for the report. The ICBL also continued to support, when possible, member campaigns to design programs to increase youth involvement in the activities of the ICBL. At the end of the reporting period, the transition phase described in the proposal is considered complete. The new team is fully operational with the integration of 4 new people in new positions – Advocacy Director, Administrative Assistant, Finance Manager, Campaign Officer - and the adjustment of the former Advocacy Director in her new position of Executive Director. The new financial organisation is being set up. The transfer of the main ICBL office to Geneva was smooth, and the increased level of engagement by the ICBL team in Geneva, along with the work done at the national level, was noticed and welcomed by all stakeholders.