International law in the field of mine action
Today, the dynamic evolution of the mine action spectrum continues: from emergency response to issues of socio-economic development and a wider range of security issues.
Download International Mine Action Standards- Demining by the military in the 1980s. Main focus: military necessity (passages for troops), operational response to detection of explosive objects.
- The end of the 1980s, the first appeal of the UN to the international community with a call for funding for humanitarian demining operations (in Afghanistan).
- Late 1980s, first NGOs: Halo Trust (1988) and Mines Advisory Group (1989).
- The beginning of the 1990s, the first humanitarian demining programs (Afghanistan, Kuwait, Cambodia, Mozambique, Angola). Launch of an international company to ban anti-personnel mines. Humanitarian demining — the central beneficiary is the civilian population, the priority is to reduce the potential risks of the population; reduction of the consequences of accidents and assistance to victims.
- 1997: adoption of the Ottawa Convention.
The main issues that mine action solves
- Death and maiming among the civilian population from mines and explosive remnants of war;
- Restriction of access to land, water resources, food;
- Restriction of access to infrastructure;
- Restrictions on the provision of humanitarian aid; Obstacles to economic development.
A significant step was taken by the international community to fulfill the above-mentioned goals, which was supported by most countries of the world, including Ukraine.
The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention provides for a complete ban on the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines, as well as their destruction. Article 5 sets out the requirements for the destruction of anti-personnel mines in mined areas. Article 6 details the transparency measures to be taken under the Agreement, including information on the location of mined or suspected mined areas and measures taken to warn the local population.