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 growing role in supporting Governments of mine affected countries
and local communities to address this problem.
The United Nations Policy on Mine
Action[1] confirms the need for
a fully integrated response to the problems caused by landmines and UXO,
incorporating 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 is responsible “for addressing the socio-economic consequences
of landmine contamination and for supporting national/local capacity building to
ensure the elimination of the obstacle they pose to the resumption of normal
economic activity, reconstruction and development. When applicable, UNDP will
have normal responsibility for the development of integrated, sustainable
national/local mine action programmes.....”
Development of national/local capacity
UNDP’s role is not to engage in actual mine
clearance itself, but to assist Governments to develop long term capacity to
manage, prioritize and coordinate their Mine Action Programme. UNDP, with its
network of offices in 137 countries and its multi-sectoral approach to
development, is able to provide appropriate support and training for the
establishment of integrated national mine action programmes. In addition, it
has a small specialist team based at its headquarters office in New York, which
provides assistance in areas such as capacity building, technical advice,
training, resource mobilisation and advocacy for a fully integrated approach to
mine action. The team provides direct support to UNDP’s regional bureaux
and country offices, who in turn assist national governments.
UNDP is responsible for supporting mine action capacity building projects in
various stages of development the following countries:
The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been contracted to
provide project services for many of these programmes. Further information on
the specific details of these programmes is contained in the country information
sections of this report.
UNDP’s support to host Governments is aimed at developing an
appropriate, sustainable response to the problems of landmines which contaminate
their country. Typically, this response will include:
The development of a national legislative framework which will set out how
mine action activities should be conducted. If the country has signed or
ratified the Mine Ban Treaty, the legislation will also address its obligations
in respect of the Convention. This framework will also normally identify which
Ministries and other organisations will participate in defining the national
mine action policy.
The establishment of a national mine action centre which will be responsible
for preparation of the national mine action plan, consulting on a working level
with key ministries and other organisations to ensure that the plan addresses
established priorities. The national mine action centre would normally also be
responsible for the development of the national standards, quality assurance,
the national mine action data-base, tasking/contracting of implementing partners
and training.
The implementation of an information management system. UNDP, in close
cooperation with UNMAS and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian
Demining (GICHD), is working with national mine action programmes to introduce
the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). In the past year,
UNDP coordinated the participation of Information Managers and Technical
Advisers from the national mine action programmes in Chad, Cambodia, Mozambique,
Angola, Laos, Bosnia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Yemen in training on the
system.
The development and implementation of a resource mobilisation strategy and
plan.
The provision of assistance with training and capacity building. UNDP
provides technical advisers to support and provide on-the-job training for key
staff of national mine action centres. In addition, in 1999, UNDP undertook a
study which assessed the training needs of management staff and proposed
options to address them. The Government of the United Kingdom is now funding
UNDP’s follow-on project, implemented by Cranfield University in the UK,
to develop training packages for executive, senior and middle managers. The
Senior Manager’s pilot course will be trialed at Cranfield University in
August-September 2000. After a post-course review of the materials, the
training packages will be distributed for delivery in country, through local
colleges, specialist trainers, or by project technical advisers. Similar
strategies will be adopted with the training for executive and middle
managers.
Addressing Socio-Economic issues
Socio-Economic Impact Study
In order to assist mine action programmes set
priorities, and to assist in reporting the impact of their work, UNDP has
commissioned GICHD to conduct a study into the assessment of the socio-economic
impact of mine action. The study report and guidelines are intended to be a
clear and straightforward operational tool for programme planners who will look
at how human, social, economic and environmental indicators have been used in
mine action. The study will also address how mine action as a whole is
integrated within emergency and development initiatives. The findings will help
the programme planner to set more meaningful programme objectives, and thereby
to identify clear targets by which both the efficiency and the effectiveness of
mine action can be judged. The study entails a review of the literature on mine
action, including programme planning and evaluation in both the humanitarian and
development fields. This will be supplemented by country case studies to
document differences in how agencies cope with mine and UXO contamination in
three situations: (1) immediate reaction to a complex emergency (Kosovo); (2)
transition from humanitarian to development assistance (Mozambique); and (3)
“normal development” (Laos).
Socio-Economic Reintegration of Landmine Victims
The World Rehabilitation Fund (WRF) has been engaged to conduct a project for
UNDP looking at the socio-economic reintegration of landmine victims. This
project, which is being implemented in Cambodia, Laos, Lebanon and Mozambique,
has developed a “prototype” of mechanisms and services which should
be in place to support the socio-economic re-integration of landmine victims. It
is also developing pilot projects to demonstrate approaches which can bring
about this goal, as well as seeking funding for further initiatives in these
countries. In the first year of this project, WRF have worked in Cambodia and
Laos, analysing the legislative and organisational frameworks as well as
services being provided in country. In addition, they have conducted an initial
visit to Lebanon to introduce the project and agree on the approach to its
implementation in the country. Links are being established between WRF and the
Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) to ensure that there is proper coordination
between this project and the LSN project for the Landmine Survivors
Rehabilitation Database.
Other activities
Resource mobilisation
UNDP assists governments and others involved in
the national mine action response to carry out their own resource mobilisation
efforts. This can be through the provision of advice, assisting with the
establishment and management of Trust Funds, establishing cost-sharing
agreements, facilitating in-kind contributions, and participating in round table
meetings, consultative groups and similar mechanisms. UNDP also submits
information on the country programmes and their resource needs to the UN
Portfolio of Mine-Related Projects, contributing to a coordinated UN approach to
resource mobilisation for mine action.
In 1999, UNDP contributed approximately US$ 6 million of its own resources
for mine action activities. These seed funds succeeded in raising a further US$
30 million in cost sharing or contributions to UNDP Trust funds. In addition,
UNDP works in close cooperation with the National Mine Action Programmes that it
supports to coordinate resource mobilisation for the total programme. It is
estimated that, in 1999, a total of over US$ 50 million was contributed by host
governments and donors for mine action programmes in these countries. Recently,
UNDP has worked closely with the Government of Mozambique and their National
Demining Institute (IND) to develop its strategy and resource mobilisation plan
to respond the effect of the major flooding on the landmine situation. UNDP has
also worked to ensure continuing support for the Cambodian Mine Action Centre as
it responds to the need for management change.
The United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) continues to be
an active partner raising resources for mine clearance through the
“Adopt-A-Minefield” campaign. By the end of April 2000, over US$1.5
million had been pledged, of which almost US$.1.3 million had been received by
UNA-USA. The Mine Action Programmes in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cambodia, Croatia
and Mozambique are currently participating in this programme. It is hoped that
one or two additional Mine Action Centres will be able to join the programme
this year.
Coordination
The headquarters-based Mine Action Team coordinates with UNMAS, other UN
partners, the World Bank, non-government organisations and donors, and
represents UNDP at international meetings as appropriate, and ensures that
information is shared with colleagues as necessary, UNDP is also represented
on focus groups, the survey certification committee and other inter-agency
groups.
Information
In 1999, UNDP produced the following promotional
material:
Post Crisis Recovery and Landmines, a twenty-four page booklet which
describes the ways in which UNDP’s support to mine action programmes
assists the countries in their recovery process, with particular reference to
its socio-economic impact.
Capacity Building for Sustainable Mine Action: a tri-fold
brochure describing UNDP’s role in capacity building for mine action.
In addition, the internet site <
http://www.undp.org/erd/mineaction/ > which provides information on
UNDP’s mine action policy and programmes is regularly updated.
[1] “Mine Action and Effective
Coordination,: The United Nations Policy” endorsed by the Secretary
General in September 1998. [2] Project
suspended in early May 2000 due to increased fighting in the Jaffna
area. [3] Project suspended at end March
2000.
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