Afghanistan (9-12 May 2011): ICBL staff member Firoz Alizada conducted an advocacy mission in Kabul in cooperation with the Afghan Landmine Survivors' Association (ALSO) that involved eight meetings with government officials, parliamentarians, NGOs, human rights institutions and mine action stakeholders. Several issues regarding implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty were discussed, including the need for national mine action legislation, plans for preparing Afghanistan’s anticipated clearance deadline extension request, the transition of mine action from the UN to Government of Afghanistan, measures to enhance assistance to survivors, and reform of national disability law. The need for Afghanistan to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was also raised. Afghanistan subsequently ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 8 September 2011.
Angola (12-25 June): Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor researcher Ania Kudarewska visited in Angola, where she held a series of meetings with government officials, representatives of international organizations and embassies, as well as with civil society members to discuss Mine Ban Treaty implementation. Angola’s Article 5 mine clearance obligations were discussed, including plans for preparing a deadline extension request, as well as measures to provide assistance to survivors.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (8 June): After participating in a regional workshop on mine action organized by Handicap International in Sarajevo, ICBL team member Loren Persi and national campaigners met with the chair of Demining Commission, the primary body in charge of mine action in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main aim was to follow-up on the last ICBL mission and advocate for more national ownership and concrete actions to advance mine action and victim assistance in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Cambodia (31 March – 5 April): ICBL staff members Kasia Derlicka and Amelie Chayer together with the Cambodia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Munitions (CCBL) participated in a series of meetings in Phnom Penh, as well as a national mine action workshop in Siem Reap and field visit, as part of the launch of the lead up to the Eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty.
Colombia (9-15 October): ICBL Victim Assistance Specialist Megan Burke together with the Colombian Campaign Against Mines (CCCM) conducted a series of meetings with government officials, representatives of international organizations and the US Embassy in Bogota, as well as with coca eradicator survivors in Colombia. The purpose of this mission was to discuss how to reduce and ultimately eliminate landmine casualties among poorly protected manual coca eradicators. The mission discussed alternatives to hiring unprotected civilians to work in areas known to be contaminated by mines and measures to ensure that injured coca eradicators receive comprehensive victim assistance. The ICBL and CCCM encouraged the government to provide final approval of civilian humanitarian demining regulations.
Tajikistan (23-27 May): After participating in a Central Asia Victim Assistance Workshop organized by Handicap International in Dushanbe in May, ICBL staff member Kasia Derlicka and ICBL victim assistance specialist Loren Persi conducted a series of advocacy meetings in Dushanbe together with the Tajik campaign. The mission involved eight meetings with government officials, a parliamentarian and mine action stakeholders to discuss the need for Tajikistan to accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and continue its implementation of the Cartagena Action Plan of the Mine Ban Treaty.
Turkey (May): ICBL staff member Firoz Alizada, victim assistance specialists and the national campaign coordinator conducted an advocacy mission on issues relating to implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty in mine-affected provinces of the country. Meetings took place in each area visited with local officials, human rights institutions and survivors, including a victim assistance workshop held in Diyarbakir to launch the first Landmine and UXO Victims' Network in Turkey. On 5 May 2011, the ICBL delegation led by the ICBL Director Kasia Derlicka met Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials in Ankara to discuss Turkey's implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty and to debrief on findings and recommendations from the field mission.