| <APPENDICES | UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)> |
The indiscriminate laying of landmines has created a long-term development problem in many countries across the globe. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has a pivotal role in supporting Governments of mine affected countries and local communities to address this problem.
The United Nations Policy on Mine Action[1] issued in September 1998, confirms the need for a fully integrated response to the problems caused by landmines and unexploded ordnance, which incorporates mine awareness and risk reduction education; minefield survey, mapping, marking and clearance; victim assistance, including rehabilitation and reintegration; and advocacy to stigmatize the use of landmines and support a total ban on antipersonnel landmines. The policy outlines the roles and responsibilities of each of the relevant UN Agencies, coordinated by the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS)
“UNDP will be responsible for addressing the socio-economic consequences of landmine contamination and for supporting national / local capacity building to ensure elimination of the obstacles they (landmines) pose to the resumption of normal economic activity, reconstruction and development. When applicable, UNDP will have primary responsibility for the development of integrated, sustainable national / local mine action programmes in situations where the problem of landmines is not only a humanitarian emergency. It works closely with UNMAS and shares all relevant information”
Following the issue of the UN policy, UNDP reviewed and re-issued its policy statement[2] on mine action. To effectively discharge its responsibilities, UNDP must be, and is, a service provider to the national authorities of mine affected countries and deliver services that enable those countries to deal with the problems of landmine contamination. The Mine Action Team within the Bureau of Crisis Prevention & Recovery (BCPR) exists to provide an in-house capacity to respond to the rapidly growing demand from UNDP Regional Bureaux and Country Offices for technical advice and support. It assists with resource mobilisation as well as providing UNDP with a mechanism for coordination with the other agencies involved in the various aspects of mine action. At the headquarters level, UNDP has four overarching objectives:
UNDP will continue to work with its partners in Government and civil society to provide funding, expertise, and information for mine action programmes and to engage in long-term planning to deal with the enduring effects of the landmine and UXO problem.
Mine Action capacity building projects are in various stages of development in the following countries:
Global Programmes & Partnerships
UNDP also manages the following global and inter-regional projects:
UNDP has concentrated its effort in mine action on the delivery of services that build the capacity of national mine action programmes. This has involved a focus on the development of indigenous capacity to manage integrated mine action programmes at the national or local level, and on strengthening a national focus on the socio-economic impact of mines and unexploded ordnance. This is achieved both through capacity building projects in mine affected countries, and through the global projects and partnerships.
The BCPR Mine Action Team has assisted in the formulation of new projects to ensure that, given available resources, their design corresponds to UNDP’s overall capacity building and development goals, and in the evaluation and reformulation of ongoing mine action programme support projects. Team members also ensure that the development perspective is well represented in the mine action debate, both in programme countries and internationally.
It is anticipated that UNDP capacity building support to the Croatian mine action programme will no longer be needed after April 2003. Although donor support will continue to be required, this will be the first national programme supported by UNDP that has successfully moved to full independence of operation since UNDP first became involved in mine action in 1992.
The training of deminers, mines awareness instructors and other specialists is neither particularly difficult nor lengthy. Mine action programmes falter because of poor or inadequately trained managers – not because of bad deminers. Mine action programmes are complex and expensive with budgets in some affected countries as high as $20 million. Yet few if any national directors or their staffs have received formal management training, and often have little or no experience of the requirements of the job for which they have been recruited or assigned.
To address these shortcomings, UNDP commissioned a study to assess the management training needs of national mine action personnel. Using the results of the study, UNDP commissioned Cranfield University to develop a course for senior managers; the first of which was conducted in August 2000. The course is of eight weeks duration and topics covered include strategic planning, development of operational plans, technology, equipment procurement, cost accounting and budgeting. As of April 2002, a total of forty six senior managers from nineteen countries have now attended senior manager courses.
A similar course for middle managers has been developed by UNDP and Cranfield University and is designed to be held regionally using local training facilities to take advantage of local language skills and economies of scale. There are four, two-week modules, all of which must be successfully completed before a graduate certificate is awarded. Commencing in June 2001, courses for three of the modules have now been held in Mozambique for Portuguese speaking managers and a special six week course was held for Afghan managers in Peshawar during October/November 2001. As of April 2002, forty middle managers from four countries have attended modules of middle managers courses. Regional courses are planned for Cambodia, Thailand and the Horn of Africa during 2002.
This project builds on the momentum begun during the Senior Management training pilot course, by providing opportunities for national managers of mine action programmes to participate in exchange programmes with other mine action programmes or with international mine action organisations. Launched in October 2001, the MAX programme provides a mechanism for senior management staff of mine action programmes to undertake short assignments in another mine action programme, or if appropriate, with an international mine action organisation, such as UNMAS, UNDP Mine Action Team or the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. The programme will allow participants to broaden their experience by gaining more in-depth exposure to different perspectives of mine action.
The exchange programme will operate in a flexible manner, adapting to specific requirements of both parties in each exchange arrangements. Participation in the programme will be voluntary, and will focus on training and skill development. Placements would normally be expected to be for a period of four to eight weeks, but could be longer if required. Priority will be given to those national staff that have participated in the senior managers training programme, but will be open to other managers too.
Until recently, mine action programmes have been mostly concerned with numbers - How many mines planted? - How many square meters cleared? This has been changing in recent years. The methodology developed by the Survey Action Center for National Impact Surveys, and for example, a 1999 study of the socio-economic impact of mine action in Afghanistan, reflect a change in emphasis away from statistics about the mines themselves, and toward their impact on people’s lives.
A study commissioned by UNDP and managed by the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) takes this one step further. “A Study of Socio-Economic Approaches to Mine Action,” released in May 2001, applies the techniques of cost-benefit analysis and socio-economic study to mine action and demonstrates that with proper prioritisation, it is cost effective. An operational handbook has recently been developed for mine action managers that will help them with the practical application of these tools to their own work. The goal is to improve the ability to set priorities, and create better programmes that will have the highest impact on people’s lives.
The World Rehabilitation Fund has been contracted by UNDP to execute this three-year project, which began in May 1999 and is funded by the UN Foundation. The aim of the project is establish an integrated approach to dove-tail the physical and psycho-social rehabilitation of landmine victims (largely the domain of other agencies, including UNICEF, WHO, and ICRC) with the need to provide alternative livelihoods and secure full participation of landmine victims in their communities and, in the process, the socio-economic recovery and development of their communities. One aspect of the project involves research and study of the existing arrangements and structures in a number of countries (Cambodia, Laos, Lebanon and Mozambique), with the intention that a template for the provision of reintegration services can be developed. Pilot activities in these countries are also being funded.
The Adopt-a-Minefield Campaign was conceived of by the United Nations Association of the United States of America, with the aim of involving civil society in the United Nations effort to remove landmines around the world. Through an agreement with UNDP, the UNA-USA continues to be an active UN partner raising resources for mine clearance. By the end of April 2002, $5.5 million had been raised towards mine clearance in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia, and Mozambique. The programme has been expanded to cover Vietnam this year. The Adopt-A-Minefield® Campaign also has expanded to include two satellite campaigns in the United Kingdom, with the Heather Mills Trust, and Canada, with the Canada Landmine Foundation. UNOPS provides management services for the project. Interest in the Campaign has been received from South America, the UK, Germany and Switzerland, as well as across the United States through hits to the Adopt-A-Minefield website (www.landmines.org) and through specific fund raising appeals, including a new emergency campaign to assist Afghanistan.
In mobilising resources, UNDP raised in excess of US$30 million in Year 2000, from an investment of US$1.5 million “seed money” (a ratio of 1:20, compared with 1:5 in 1999). Figures for 2001 are not yet available but it is anticipated that a similar result to 2000 will have been achieved. No mine action programme has been halted for want of funds.
MINE ACTION TEAM CONTACT INFORMATION
Mine Action Team
Bureau of Crisis Prevention & Recovery
UNDP New York
Uganda House, 2nd Floor
336, E45th Street
USA
Fax (212) 906 5123
Email: judy.grayson@undp.org
| <APPENDICES | UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN’S FUND (UNICEF)> |
[1] “Mine Action and Effective Coordination: The United Nations Policy” endorsed by the Secretary General in September 1998, and welcomed by GA resolution A/53/26 adopted in 17 November 1998. (see UNDP’s mine action web site: www.undp.org/erd/mineaction/ ).
[2] UNDP Mine Action Policy Statement (see UNDP’s mine action web site www.undp.org/erd/mineaction/).
