The role of the Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA).

Coordination: The Department for Disarmament Affairs (DDA) advises and assists the Secretary-General in the discharge of his responsibilities and implements the mandates entrusted to him in capacity as depositary of the APMBT and CCW and its protocols. To that end, it supports the Secretary-General through participation in the various coordination mechanisms with public and private partners, such as the IACG-MA and the MASG, as well as in meetings of the contact group organised in the margins of annual meetings of States Parties. 

Capacity development: The  DDA provides technical and substantive assistance to the annual meetings of States Parties and review conferences of the APMBT, and CCW, including annual meetings of CCW Amended Protocol II. DDA also provides technical and substantive assistance to groups of experts, and other subsidiary organs established under these legal instruments. 

Standards and quality management: The DDA promotes the dissemination and adoption of international guidelines and standards in mine action, especially the IMAS. DDA contributes to the United Nations' Five-Year Mine Action Strategy. Within this framework, DDA participates in consultations and provides advice, when necessary, on the use of standard terms on mine action in international peace agreements. 

Advocacy and information: The DDA promotes the universalisation of existing instruments in the field of landmines, ERW, and related issues, and assists States Parties in complying with their obligations. To that end, DDA advises and assists the Secretary-General with regards to Articles 7 and 8, facilitation and clarification of compliance with the APMBT, including maintaining a database on transparency and on signatories of the APMBT, ratification and accession by States on its website. Furthermore, DDA contributes actively to information dissemination, raising public awareness of matters related to mine action and maintaining close liaison with theUnited Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR), other research and educational institutions outside the United Nations, and with NGOs through its website, publications and other activities. It also supports the Secretary-General through its regional and sub regional activities, in particular through the regional centres in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America. Finally, DDA assists the United Nations Secretary-General in promoting the goals of existing legal instruments, including their universalisation, by providing substantive advice, political analysis and talking points on landmines and related issues. 

Mainstreaming: The DDA promotes the full recognition of mine action as a key disarmament activity. It also contributes actively in the United Nations work to mainstream gender in mine action. 

Resource mobilisation and management: The  DDA briefs States and other stakeholders on its regional and sub regional activities in relation to various aspects of mine action. It also participates in the Resource Mobilisation Contact Group in Geneva.