The Role of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

 

The United Nations Development Programme provides comprehensive support to national mine action programmes in the full range of mine action activities, at the request of mine-affected states. Through its country offices and the Mine Action Team of its headquarters-based Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, UNDP assists mine-affected countries to establish or strengthen national/local mine action programmes to undertake all elements of mine action. 

Coordination: UNDP Country Offices coordinate UNDP’s mine action efforts, and support coordination efforts among the mine action and wider development community, at the country level in accordance with arrangements described in section V subsection A above. UNDP’s Mine Action Team coordinates UNDP’s global mine action efforts which involves liaising with other parts of the organisation and partners such as other IACG-MA members, the donor community, regional organisations, domestic and international NGOs, and the private sector in order to address the full range of humanitarian and development consequences of landmine and ERW contamination. Programme management and project implementation. In addition to its support to national programmes, in special circumstances UNDP, at the request of authorities in mine-affected countries, manages some or all of the elements of the mine action programme as deemed appropriate. Where warranted, UNDP may also undertake specific mine action projects. UNDP implements its activities based on normal execution modalities approved by UNDP’s Executive Board. These may include national execution, direct execution, agency execution, NGO execution or a combination thereof. 

Capacity development: The UNDP capacity-development support aims to assist national and local authorities to: develop laws, policiesand national and sectoral strategic plans; deliver all elements of mine action efficiently and to IMAS; establish comprehensive information management systems necessary for the efficient planning and prioritisation of mine action activities and ensure the quality of mine action operations; explore cost-effective alternatives to clearance operations based on humanitarian and socio-economic impact analysis; advocate for the inclusion of mine action in national development plans; and meet their legal obligations under relevant international conventions. UNDP provides mine-affected states and representatives of civil society organisations, including national NGOs, with technical and management training and supports south-south cooperation in order to develop or strengthen institutional and individual technical and management capacity. UNDP also actively supports collaboration among mine affected states in part by providing assistance to the Forum of Mine Affected Countries. UNDP provides support and works closely with relevant authorities to ensure that landmine survivors are rehabilitated and reintegrated into their communities as full, productive members. In United Nations-managed mine action programmes, UNDP facilitates the United Nations effort to assist national authorities to develop national capacity in order to manage and undertake all aspects of mine action, from the outset. UNDP assists national authorities to prepare for an effective transition to national management. 

Standards and quality management: The UNDP regularly conducts internal and external evaluations of its mine action activities. Evaluation results, in particular any lessons learned, are made available to all partners and other interested parties. UNDP mine action activities are conducted in conformity with international mine action standards. UNDP actively contributes to the development of IMAS and best practices and assists national programmes to develop and work to national standards based on IMAS. 

Advocacy and information management: The UNDP promotes universalisation of the APMBT and other international legal instruments such as the CCW and supports mine-affected countries efforts to meet current treaty obligations and other targets they have set. UNDP, in close cooperation with partners within and outside the United Nations, is also actively engaged in exploring new ways in which the landmines and ERW issue can be addressed in the future. UNDP promotes the development and application of standardised mine action information management systems, and contributes to the management and sharing of information within the mine action community. 

Mainstreaming: The Because landmines and ERW pose a serious obstacle to sustainable development, UNDP is mainstreaming mine action into its broader development programmes in mine affected developing countries, and is the principal United Nations agency promoting the mainstreaming of mine action into national and sector development plans and programmes, such as agriculture, infrastructure, health, education, and water supply. 

Resource mobilisation and management: The UNDP raises resources for all elements of its mine action activities and assists mine-affected states to mobilise domestic and external resources to support their mine action programmes. UNDP is an active partner in the work of the Resource Mobilisation Contact Group and the MASG. UNDP, together with UNMAS, UNICEF and others, participates in the development of the United Nations Mine Action Portfolio and Consolidated Appeals. UNDP also provides input and support to other efforts to diversify funding sources, and is particularly involved in efforts to further engage the international development community in mine action. UNDP Country Offices play an active role in the establishment and ongoing efforts of field based donor coordination groups. Resources in support of UNDP mine action activities are administered through the Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery’s Thematic Trust Fund for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, country-level trust funds, or cost-sharing arrangements.