The United Nations Mine Action Strategy 2024.

Significant progress made at global, national, and regional levels. The use of prohibited conventional weapons is increasingly stigmatized. Through the United Nations Security Council and United Nations General Assembly, Member States have repeatedly called for efforts to address the impact of mines, ERW and IEDs. Worldwide, mine action programmes continue to make progress in addressing risks associated with explosive ordnance. Mine action continues to be increasingly recognized as critical in resolving conflict, peacebuilding, sustaining peace, fostering development, strengthening food security and pursuing sustainable solutions for displacement. The enabling role of mine action is recognized in the Secretary-General’s Agenda for Disarmament and in the Secretary-General’s policy brief, A New Agenda for Peace, which calls for action to reduce the human cost of weapons. The adoption of the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) was a milestone achievement in enhancing the protection of civilians from the increasing urbanization of armed conflict. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) has adopted a Policy on Protection, which commits humanitarian actors to engage collectively in efforts to mitigate and prevent risks to conflict and crisis-affected populations. However, the civilian toll of the increased use of explosive weapons in populated areas as well as the continued use of cluster munitions, anti-personnel landmines and IEDs in recent and ongoing armed conflicts indicates a lack of respect for the principles of international humanitarian law. Their use leads to increased contamination, exacerbates harm to civilians and poses extremely difficult clearance challenges. These crises and conflicts contribute to population displacement, loss of livelihoods, impeded or obstructed access to essential infrastructure and services, and increased vulnerability. The United Nations advocates for strict compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law to prevent or mitigate harm and protect civilians from the impact of weapons.

The vision of the United Nations is a world free from the threat of mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), including cluster munitions, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), where individuals and communities live in a safe environment conducive to sustainable peace and development, where no one is left behind, where the human rights and the needs of victims are fully respected and where parties to conflict respect international humanitarian and human rights law.  

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