The solution

Both the causes and the effects of the landmine crisis need to be addressed. Efforts need to include halting mine laying, production and stockpiling, clearing mined areas and helping landmine survivors.

Multi-level approach

The global landmine problem needs to be tackled from many different angles. Why ban landmines? (some of the human, economic and security arguments...)

Action is needed to:

• remove mines from the ground;
• ensure that minefields are fenced off and marked and that communities receive education about mine risks;
• destroy mines in stockpiles;
• meet the needs of mine victims -- from emergency medical care and rehabilitation to programmes for socio-economic reintegration and recognised rights for people with disabilities;
• ensure that all countries joins the Mine Ban Treaty and undertake to never again produce, use or sell antipersonnel mines;
• make sure that once a State joins, it fully implements the Mine Ban Treaty e.g. by submitting transparency reports, meeting deadlines for stockpile destruction and mine clearance, and assisting the victims of landmines;
• ensure that countries outside of the Mine Ban Treaty abide by the spirit of the agreement and refrain from use, production and stockpiling of the weapon;
• persuade non state actors to ban landmines and abide by the spirit of the treaty; and
• condemn any use or production by a state or non-state actor.

In places like Angola, much has already been done to solve the landmine problem. Clearance speeded up since mine-laying stopped. Still, comprehensive support to landmine survivors like this little girl remain a challenge. Credit: Mercedes Sayagues.

A role for everyone!

Mine-affected countries

For countries with their own mine problems, action is needed at two levels:

• changes at a policy level: a ban landmines and membership of the Mine Ban Treaty; and
• practical programmes: to remove mines from the ground and stockpiles and provide comprehensive assistance to mine survivors.

Both are essential! Without a ban, mine clearance programmes will remove mines in the ground from one area at the same time as mines may being laid elsewhere. The causes and the effects of the weapon need to be tackled.

Non-affected countries

Even countries without a mine problem have an important role. They have a moral obligation to join the Mine Ban Treaty and promote it and, where possible, to provide assistance to mine-affected states. Countries that have traded the weapon, should stop and those with large mine stockpiles should destroy these. State Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty have a legal obligation to promote it.

You and I

Campaigning by ordinary citizens, community groups and non-governmental organisations is one of the main ways to hold governments responsible for addressing the mine problem on all levels. Remember that is the action of people like you and I that pushed governments to draft and then adopt the Mine Ban Treaty in the first place!