“The only way communities will be truly safe from the scourge of these weapons is when all states have joined and are fully respecting the treaty.” Adopted on 18 September 1997, the Mine Ban Treaty prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of antipersonnel mines and requires victim assistance, mine clearance and stockpile destruction. [...] Amidst the conflict in Ukraine, the country saw a ten-fold increase in the number of civilian landmine and ERW casualties compared to 2021 (58). [...] Ukrainian authorities are investigating the circumstances of its forces using antipersonnel mines in and around the city of Izium, in Kharkiv oblast, in 2022 when the city was under Russian control. [...] “Alarming increases in the number of civilians killed and injured by recently placed mines in several countries further demonstrate the dire need for increased resources to ensure all the rights of the victims are addressed,” added Loren Persi, editor for casualties and victim assistance reporting. [...] Issued in advance of the Mine Ban Treaty’s Twenty-First Meeting of States Parties at the United Nations in Geneva on 20–24 November, this report provides a global overview of efforts to universalize and fully implement the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty, ensure clearance of mine contaminated areas, deliver risk education to affected communities, and assist victims of these weapons.
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- Switzerland
