Landmine Monitor Reporting on Cluster Munitions

Since 1998 Landmine Monitor has provided civil society monitoring and reporting on the response to the global landmine and explosive remnants of war (ERW) problem. Each year Landmine Monitor has assessed progress made and remaining challenges in landmine ban policy, mine/ERW clearance, casualties, risk education, victim assistance and support for mine action.

Landmine Monitor uses the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty as a framework to structure reporting and monitors universalization and compliance with the treaty, as well as broader global efforts to address the landmine problem. Reporting complements States Parties’ transparency reporting under Article 7 of the Mine Ban Treaty but goes further and includes independent reporting and evaluation.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted earlier this year in Dublin, Ireland and will be opened for signature on 3 December in Oslo, Norway. The new convention provides a framework to monitor and measure progress in eliminating cluster munitions.

The Landmine Monitor Editorial Board, at the request of the Steering Committee of the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC), has decided to monitor the universalization and implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions in addition to monitoring the Mine Ban Treaty. Landmine Monitor has always monitored the global ERW situation more broadly including cluster munitions. The Convention on Cluster Munitions provides Landmine Monitor with the opportunity to more specifically report on the cluster munitions problem and hold governments accountable to the convention’s provisions.

Landmine Monitor remains a project of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and, as such, the research and monitoring program of the campaign. The Cluster Munition Coalition is the ICBL’s sister campaign focused on eliminating cluster munitions and the ICBL is part of the CMC’s leadership. At the CMC’s request, Landmine Monitor has become functionally the CMC’s research and monitoring arm.

In 2009, reporting on cluster munitions in the Landmine Monitor Annual Report will remain similar to reporting in Landmine Monitor Report 2008. A separate publication will be prepared by Human Rights Watch and Landmine Action for Landmine Monitor documenting the development of state practice and policy on cluster munitions up to the signing of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, with an anticipated release date at the end of May 2009. This publication will focus on government policy and practice regarding cluster munitions, including use, production, stockpiling, and transfer. This report will not detail the humanitarian impact of cluster munitions, clearance activities, casualties, risk education, victim assistance, or funding. Those areas will, to the extent possible, still be covered in the Landmine Monitor Annual Report.

In 2010, Landmine Monitor will fully report on cluster munitions ban policy, clearance, casualties, risk education, victim assistance, and funding. Planning for the 2010 report is in the preliminary stages and more information will be shared as 2010 draws closer.

As Landmine Monitor expands the scope of its reporting, Landmine Action has joined the Landmine Monitor Editorial Board. Landmine Action is a co-chair of the CMC and brings to Landmine Monitor extensive policy and research experience on the cluster munitions issue. Norwegian People’s Aid is also a CMC co-chair and has added its representative to the CMC to the Landmine Monitor Editorial Board. Landmine Monitor Editorial Board member Human Rights Watch is also CMC co-chair, and the two other Editorial Board members, Mines Action Canada and Handicap International, also serve on the CMC Steering Committee.

Landmine Monitor strives to provide governments, civil society and international organizations with updated, accurate and independent reporting on the humanitarian response to the global landmine, cluster munition and ERW problems. With over ten year’s experience monitoring these issues, Landmine Monitor is pleased to be able to expand its work to best meet the information and reporting needs of the international community.

Please contact lm@icbl.org for more information.