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Humanitarian Mine Clearance

Mine Field in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Landmines were widely used for the first time during World War II. While most of those mines were cleared, some countries still have mines dating back to that era. Since then, landmines have been used in many conflicts, living a residual threat in over 60 countries. Thus mine clearance has become essential to allow communities to return to their homes and their normal life after an armed conflict.

Humanitarian Mine Clearance is a process that aims to clear land so that the safety and wellbeing of the population, living in the area, is not threatened by the existence of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Governments and the International Community have been engaged in mine action worldwide since 1992. In 1998, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) entered into force. The APMBC banned the use, development, production, stockpiling and transfer of Anti-Personnel landmines. Even though the APMBC is a great tool to fight the existence of future landmines, Humanitarian Mine Clearance is essential to reduce the impact of existing landmines and explosive remnants of war.