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Mine action is a domain within humanitarian aid and development studies concerned with activities which aim to reduce the social, economic and environmental impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Background

Although mine action often is equated to demining, that is not accurate. Mine action is also about people and societies, and how they are affected by landmine and ERW contamination. The objective of mine action is to reduce the risk from landmines and ERW to a level where people can live safely; in which economic, social and health development can occur free from the constraints imposed by landmine and ERW contamination^[1], and in which the victims’ needs can be addressed. Mine action is often represented as comprising five complementary groups of activities:

• Mine Risk Education (MRE);
• humanitarian demining, i.e. mine and ERW survey, mapping, marking and clearance;
• victim assistance, including rehabilitation and reintegration;
• stockpile destruction; and
• advocacy to promote policies and practices that will reduce the threat from landmines and ERW (usually promoting fulfillment of obligations under the 1997 anti-personnel Mine Ban Treaty).

The coordination of mine action activities in affected countries is commonly conducted by Mine Action Coordination Centers (MACC) managed either by the UN or the host country government.

References

See also

• Mine clearance agencies
• Unexploded ordnance

External links

• E-mine UN's electronic mine information network
• International Mine Action Standards IMAS
• GICHD Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining