Mine Action Programmes from a development-oriented point of view
“THE
BAD HONNEF FRAMEWORK”
The “Bad Honnef” Guidelines were elaborated and adopted at the
First International Conference of Experts in Bad Honnef, 23-24 June 1997. They
were reconfirmed and adopted at the ICBL’s NGO Forum on Landmines in
September 1997. The Guidelines were renewed and revised at the Second
International Conference of Experts (Bad Honnef II) in Berlin-Kladow from 21-23
June 1999.
An abbreviated version of the full Guidelines follows. To obtain the full
version, please go to http://www.landmine.de or contact: German Initiative to
Ban Landmines, Markus Haake, Rykestr. 13, 10405 Berlin, Germany, Phone +49 30
421 36 86, Fax +49 30 428 01 688, Email: gibl.haake@t-online.de
The Guidelines are also available in Arabic, French, German, Portuguese,
Spanish, Russian and Chinese.
Guidelines for Development-oriented Mine Action Programmes
Basic Principles
The needs and aspirations of people affected by
mines are the starting point for mine action programmes. Mine action programmes
must be environmentally specific; they must be compatible, in form and content,
with the conditions in individual countries.
As much as any human being, mine affected people and communities have the
right to shape their own lives and to participate in political and economic
decision making which concerns their interests. The implementation of the
humanitarian action in a spirit of solidarity designed to promote autonomy
rather than creating new dependencies is crucial.
Mine action programmes must be part of integrated response. They have to
support peace-building including reconstruction and development of the community
and aim at enhancing the socio-economic and cultural infrastructure. Empowerment
of the community to carry out all aspects of mine action programmes by providing
the proper training, equipment, standard and supervision is the ultimate
goal.
Social indicators that will determine the progress and success of a mine
action programme should be defined in advance in consultation with the affected
community and donors. Each programme should have well-defined goals, to be
reviewed continuously.
Mine action programmes should be designed on the basis of objective data
obtained through accurate socio-economic taking into account indicators and
factors particular to the cultural environment. There is a need to review and
revise programme objectives in consultation with the community and donors as the
programme evolves.
The complex situation of societal destruction after war requires a coherent
and simultaneous approach for all of the following elements of mine action
programs:
insertion in a national and local peace-building and development
framework;
community and victim/survivor participation;
mine awareness and accident/incident prevention; mine surveying, marking and
mine clearance
effective emergency response capacities to accidents (emergency first
aid);
physical and psychological rehabilitation of mine victims;
political, social, and economic reintegration of mine victims, families and
their communities,
empowerment of local communities, and
political advocacy and support for the programmes.
Mine action programmes should reflect the impact of landmines on the
environment and wildlife providing appropriate support.
Participation and co-operation –
Integrated mine action programmes based on community participation
Awareness building, Surveying, Marking and Demining:
It is essential that
clearing mines and other explosive debris (UXO) is accompanied by information,
education, and training, taking into account the specific cultural environment
of each mine affected community. The population should be made aware of the
dangers and consequences of mines in ways that are appropriate to the age,
gender and social group of those being trained.
Surveying and marking of mine infested areas, as well as the actual demining
process, including the destruction of mines and UXO, must take place in close
co-operation with the affected population and all relevant authorities and
organisations.
The guidelines (8) and (9) should be carried out by fully skilled and
equipped local specialists trained by qualified trainers and planned and
implemented in an integrated and co-ordinated manner.
Emergency first aid and physical rehabilitation
Access to prompt medical attention and the availability of surgical care is
imperative. Local paramedics and physicians should be trained to competently
provide emergency first aid, ambulance care and longer-term treatment to victims
of mine explosions.
Prostheses and wheelchairs or other aids for the victims must be provided
through the development of local production capacities. The highest possible
quality standards, adapted to local circumstances, should be reached.
Physiotherapeutic and other rehabilitative measures should be carried out
with an emphasis on the training of local specialists.
In order to guarantee continued success of the medical measures, the
affected communities should be supported in their efforts to provide medical
support and follow-up care for people with disabilities.
Socio-economic, cultural and psychological rehabilitation
Personal suffering and rupture of the social fabric must be countered
by
offering appropriate accompaniment, educational and vocational training
and/or other income generating possibilities for economic reintegration;
providing psycho-social care for the disabled and their kin (with the care
tailored to the cultural traditions), helping to generate community capacities
in this regard;
supporting healing cultural activities (such as sports, cinema, theatre,
dance, newspaper, etc), as the realm of social integration, with a balanced
participation of disabled and non-disabled;
supporting local organisations and particularly the efforts of the affected
people to organise themselves.
Mine action programmes must address peace-building, reconciliation and needs
of mine affected communities. This means for example to guarantee access to
education and justice systems as well as creation of citizen security. Access to
water, rural credit schemes, village roads, provision of primary health care
should also be ensured, in order to sustain livelihoods.
Efforts at psychosocial rehabilitation should be accompanied by basic and
further training of local monitors (social workers, health workers, teachers,
and other community monitors).
Mine victims and landless people must be given priority in the allocation of
demined land.
Institution building, co-operation and synergy
To correspond as best as possible with the needs and aspirations of affected
communities, local institutions implementing individual parts of mine action
programmes should be supported both in establishing themselves as well as in
their work (capacity enhancement).
Close co-operation between organisations is required in planning and
implementing mine action programmes, mobilising different organisational
competencies. A practical division of labour and responsibility in different
aspects of projects contributes to an integrated and participatory
approach.
Since no single organisation or international institution has the overall
knowledge and competence to fulfil all elements of the integrated and
comprehensive approach close co-operation between national and local authorities
and organisations which take responsibility for a specific component of the mine
action programme is crucial.
Co-operation between institutions of the North and the South
(North-South-co-operation) as well as between institution from the South
(South-South-co-operation) should be supported to build mutual confidence. An
improved and mutual transfer of organising ability and other competencies is
therefore required. Exchanges of community based experiences should be
encouraged.
Non-local workers need to be sensitised in local culture and language in
recognition of the demandingly holistic approach. They are a guest in a foreign
country, and working for the benefit of that country. They should contribute to
insuring sustainability.
The creation of local campaigns for the banning of landmines should be
supported, for instance in helping to bring about an awareness of a collectively
suffered injustice, or in averting the possible renewed use of
mines.
Coherence and sustainability –
Mine action programmes as part of peace-building, reconstruction and development
programmes
General requirements
Mine action programmes
are part of national reconstruction and development programmes guided by the
goal to create a community empowerment, social confidence and a
development-oriented civil society.
Mine action programmes are part of peace building programmes. Beyond victim
assistance, they should take into consideration the need for fully reintegrating
refugees, displaced persons, and demobilised soldiers. There should be no
discrimination of ex-soldiers, particularly of victims of mine accidents and
other war disabled.
The participation of diverse social groups in mine action promotes both the
sustainability of programmes and national reconciliation. The success of
reconciliation, particularly among war victims, is an indicator of
progress.
Efforts on the part of the victims (and their dependants) to establish a
reparation fund, and financial aid such as pensions, should be supported. States
are required to draw up and implement appropriate legislation regarding war
victim and disabled rights, including the rights of veterans.
Mine action programmes require the creation of national data management
systems including archives, mine related records, Geographical Information
Systems, and national-wide databanks. Data should not only cover planted and
stockpiled mines but also victims, internally displaced, demobilised soldiers.
Comprehensive data collection and transparency with free access for all
participants needs to be assured.
The role of NGOs and community based organisations in implementation and
monitoring
NGOs and community based organisations welcome the steps taken so far on the
path towards prohibiting mines, especially the Ottawa Convention for the
prohibition of anti-personnel mines. However, they regard the results achieved
to date as a first step that has to be followed by further steps:
extending the prohibition to include all mines and weapons covered by the
effect-oriented definition;
ensuring transparency of information on research into mines and weapons
similar to mines and on the sale, transfer or export of mines;
verifying the destruction of all mines;
ensuring transparency in funding the research, development and procurement
of new mines and mines delivery systems;
rededicating funds allocated to the research and development of new mine
technologies to mine action programmes.
NGOs and community based organisations support the universalisation of the
Ottawa convention and beyond this the comprehensive banning of landmines and
weapons with similar effect. Relevant work by local, regional and national
campaigns towards an overall ban should be supported.
NGOs and community based organisations should demand international and
national standards for the main elements of mine action programmes, such as
demining and the rehabilitation of victims. NGOs and community based
organisations should be part of the relevant negotiations on these and should
bring their influence to bear.
National control mechanisms such as legislation should include NGOs and
community based organisations in verifying compliance with these standards.
NGOs and community based organisations should monitor the overall impact of
mine action programmes put into practice, in order to ensure compliance with the
holistic approach.
Solidarity and financing –
Promotion of autonomy instead of creation of new dependencies
General principles
The NGOs and community
based organisations demand that governments or warring parties, who developed,
produced, exported and/or used landmines, accept their responsibility for the
eradication of mines and addressing the impact of mines.
Comprehensive, integrated, participatory mine action programmes should
become the norm for development policy in mine-affected societies. Plain
demining cannot be the only goal of developmental or humanitarian considerations
in the face of the pervasive destruction wrought on these societies. It is
important that civil institutions are involved in all aspects of demining and
mine action. The NGOs and community based organisations will strive continuously
for this.
For the provision of additional funds, the principle that the polluter pays
should be considered: companies that have profited from the development,
production and sale of mines, could pay into a reparation fund.
Standards for the allocation of funds
38. Resources for mine action programmes should be allocated according to
humanitarian considerations and according to these guidelines. If commissions
are given to commercial enterprises, profits must not go into weapons production
or into activities that are counter to these guidelines.
The comprehensive, integrated approach of mine action programmes demands a
long term planning perspective, which needs to be considered when providing
funds. Funding decisions should be made as close to the field as possible. Funds
should be released rapidly to ensure programme coherence and timely
implementation. Donors should practice direct funding to implementing
organisations and take greater and closer responsibility for programme
monitoring.
Funding allocation decisions must be based on the needs and aspirations of
mine victims and their communities. These decisions should involve mine action
protagonists at all stages of the allocation process. Vested interests of the
donor or recipient countries should not play a decisive role.
While NGOs and community based organisations accept appropriate research
into new mine clearance technologies based on end-user requirements and existing
technologies, the ratio of funding should be balanced in favour of
community-based mine action programmes. New mine clearance technology should
reflect local capacities and be locally manageable.
Donors should be fully transparent about the funds allocated to mine action.
The purpose of the grants should be specifically designated in different
categories: these should include mine clearance, research and development of new
mine clearance and detection technology, and mine victim assistance. This will
clarify whether humanitarian funds are being used to fund non-humanitarian work,
and/or commercial and military research and development.
NGOs and community based organisations encourage mine-affected countries
themselves to create, in full transparency, their own mine action budgets
commensurate with the extent of the landmine problem. Such budgets should
include corresponding decreases in military spending for mine technology.
Development, commercial and other investments in mine-affected countries
should include appropriate mine-action elements in project planning, budgeting
and implementation. In particular, all mine clearance organisations and
commercial investments in affected areas should privilege local
capacity-building.
Changes and improvement of these guidelines
Changes to these guidelines will make use of experts representing the
diverse elements of integrated mine action programmes.