| CAP | Consolidated Appeal Process | |
| CEN | European Committee for Standardisation | |
| CERF | Central Emergency Revolving Fund | |
| DANDEC | Danish Demining Centre | |
| DCA | Danish Church Aid | |
| DDA | Department for Disarmament Affairs | |
| DDG | Danish Demining Group | |
| DDR | Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Rehabilitation | |
| EC | European Commission | |
| ECHO | European Commission’s Humanitarian Office | |
| EUR | Euro | |
| ERW | Explosive Remnants of War | |
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organisation | |
| GICHD | Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining | |
| HUM | Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO-Coop- | |
| eration | ||
| ICBL | International Campaign to Ban Landmines | |
| ICRC | International Committee of the Red Cross | |
| IDP | Internally Displaced Person | |
| IFRC | International Federation of the Red Cross and | |
| Red Crescent Societies | ||
| IMAS | International Mine Action Standards | |
| IMSMA | Information Management System Mine Action | |
| ITF | International Trust Fund | |
| MAG | Mines Advisory Group | |
| MDG | Millennium Development Goals | |
| MRE | Mine Risk Education | |
| NGO | Non Governmental Organisation | |
| NPA | Norwegian People’s Aid | |
| OCHA | Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs | |
| PRSP | Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper | |
| R&D | Research & Development | |
| UN | United Nations | |
| UNDP | United Nations Development Programme | |
| UNHCR | United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | |
| UNICEF | United Nations Children’s Fund | |
| UNMAS | United Nations Mine Action Service | |
| UNOPS | United Nations Office for Project Services | |
| USA | United States of America | |
| UXO | Unexploded Ordnance | |
| VTF | Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Demining | |
| WFP | World Food Programme | |
| WHO | World Health Organisation |
Landmines and unexploded ammunition continue to pose a serious threat to many people around the world, primarily in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central America. However, landmines continue to be a daily threat to many people also in Europe.
Each year, between 15,000 and 20,000 people are killed or maimed by land-mines. However, these victims are not the only ones to suffer; the families of victims also feel the effect of lost manpower and increased costs of treatment and rehabilitation. Moreover, the landmine hazard means that these families are no longer able to generate their normal level of income, as fields cannot be tilled and there are fewer areas where animals can safely graze.
It is not only the direct consequences of landmine explosions that hit communities. Fear impedes normal daily life for all the people living in the areas affected. When abandoned landmines and unexploded ammunition prevent life from carrying on as normal, it has enormous economic and social repercussions.
Denmark was one of the first countries to sign the Ottawa Convention in 1997 and thus pledged itself to work towards securing a world free from the manufacture of and trade in landmines. Since then, we have donated over DKK 900 million to demining activities and we are one of the 10 largest donors in the world. We were also among the first countries to establish a policy on land-mines. In 2003, the Danish demining activities to date were evaluated. The subsequent recommendations, a new approach on landmines, and the wish to integrate demining activities in our development assistance as far as possible have all been incorporated into the new strategy presented below.
It is my hope that the world will live up to the commitments that we have made by signing the Ottawa Convention. I believe that together we can successfully carry out the task ahead of us. Together we can minimise the number of landmine-related accidents and turn the areas affected into better places to live.
I therefore hope that Denmark’s new strategy on landmine clearance can contribute towards achieving the goals that we have set ourselves as co-signatories of the Ottawa Convention.
Ulla Tørnæs
Minister for Development Cooperation
October 2006
In 1997, Denmark signed the Ottawa Convention, which bans all production, export, use of and trade in anti-personnel mines and requires the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines. In 2001, the first policy paper was made public, setting out the guidelines for the way in which mine action activities were to be included in Danish development assistance.
The new strategy paper outlines the general guidelines for the way in which future mine action activities are to be prioritised and implemented. Mine action activities will also in future be coordinated by the Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation (HUM) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The new strategy is based on the previous Danish policy of 2001. A full-scale evaluation of mine action activities supported by Denmark since 1993 was carried out in 2003. At an international workshop in Copenhagen, the recommendations of the evaluation were discussed. The lessons learned from the workshop are incorporated in the new strategy paper.
The new strategy, which implies that mine action, to a much greater extent that previously, is sought integrated as part of overall development assistance, endeavours to ensure continuity and flexibility by underlining the main objective of Denmark’s support for mine action:
Landmines are distributed over 90 countries and territories, primarily in Africa, Asia, Central America, the Middle East and the Balkans. It is estimated that there are between 15,000 and 20,000 new landmine casualties every year.
The Ottawa Convention, which was adopted in 1999, has been highly successful, and since then there has been broad support for the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL). At the beginning of 2006, more than 75 per cent of the world’s states had joined the Convention. Many of the important countries that for various reasons have not signed the Convention, such as the USA, China, Russia, India, Pakistan and Finland have acceded to many of the protocols banning the sale and transfer of anti-personnel mines.
Towards the end of 2004, an international conference was held in Nairobi where the results of the Convention were reviewed. At the conference, the aims of the Ottawa Convention were insisted on and the participating countries, including Denmark, renewed their commitment to achieving the Convention’s aims.1
Every year, various donors provide approximately DKK 1.5 billion (approximately EUR 200 million) for mine action. A large proportion of this support goes towards funding the demanding work of manual and/or mechanical mine clearance. Donors are exerting increasing pressure to ensure that these funds are spent as effectively and cost efficiently as possible.
1) The conference adopted the following: "We renew our unwavering commitment to achieving the goal of a world free of anti-personnel mines, in which there will be zero mine victims." ..."...and we shall persevere until this unique Convention has been universally applied and its aims fully achieved."
Over the last ten years, mine action has matured from an emergency post-conflict humanitarian response to also including reconstruction and development assistance. Mine action underpins the efforts made by Denmark to achieve sustainable development in post-conflict countries. The entire mine action sector comprises not only the mine-affected countries but also multilateral and bilateral donors, specialist agencies, international organisations, NGOs and actors from the private sector.
Wherever possible, mine action should be mainstreamed in emergency action as well as in reconstruction and development assistance. For this purpose, mine action should be part of the national Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in countries where mines constitute a problem to social and economic development.
In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the expertise of the management and implementation of mine action. This has resulted in higher levels of safety and improved productivity. It is necessary to continue the development of this expertise, for example with a view to technical improvements of equipment, management and procedures.
This also applies to standards and quality management systems that have been considerably improved in line with the evolvement of the sector. This adaptation is managed by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in partnership with a number of actors, notably the recipient countries and their partners.
A significant part of donor country support is targeted at capacity building in the mine-affected states to enable these countries to assume responsibility for clearing their landmines. Operational capacity building is already well developed in many places. However, management capacity needs to be developed at government and provincial levels in the recipient country as well as among local NGOs that often perform the tasks. There is a need for placing focus on management capacity building if the responsibility for mine action is to be transferred to the recipient countries.
Article 5 of the Ottawa Convention establishes that all anti-personnel mines must be destroyed before 2009. Several donors now refer to areas as “mine- effect free” instead of “mine free”, as the goal of mine free areas is not considered realistically achievable everywhere.
In the international donor community and among NGOs, a great many questions are asked that may impact on the development and implementation of various policies and strategies in the area of mine action:
Should accession to the Ottawa Convention be a precondition for providing funding for mine action in the country in question?
The UN finds that no humanitarian assistance should be subject to conditions. However, every opportunity should be taken to urge countries that have not ratified the Convention to do so. Denmark supports this attitude.
Should it be a precondition of assistance that the recipient country makes a commitment to including mine action as part of the country’s development?
The recipient government should render practical and political support to international efforts and demonstrate political will by, if possible, incorporating mine action as part of the country’s PRSP. Denmark supports this.
Should support be given to military mine action activities in order to achieve development goals?
In principle, Denmark is prepared to fund work undertaken by the military to clear mines. The conditions are, however, a) that the military has been tasked by the civil organisation that is responsible for mine action in the country in question, b) that the work meets international mine action standards, and c) that the work is subject to independent monitoring. Under these conditions, Denmark has among other things provided assistance for the Nicaraguan army’s mine action activities.
Should donors provide funding for mine action that is implemented by private enterprises?
Positive lessons learned from cooperation with NGOs and private enterprises should be put to good use.
Should donors support programmes that specifically target mine survivors?
Consideration may be given to whether it is preferable that all victims are treated equally irrespective of whether they are mine victims, mine survivors or other victims in need of treatment. This may be achieved through an improvement in the national health care system, and it would therefore be preferable, wherever this is expedient (and when prioritised by the community), to promote the development of health care for the entire community. However, direct support for mine victims will remain necessary in the form of, for example, retraining and education programmes.
How should donors respond to the challenge posed by spontaneous demining or village demining?
In some countries, local people clear mines without any training, supervision or proper equipment. This is often the case because the community cannot wait for formal professional assistance. If the formal mine action community decides to support this reality, it will prove necessary to address the legal issues of liability, safety and the quality of the cleared land.
In 2001, Denmark published its first mine action policy, the aim of which was “to help mitigate the serious negative consequences of the landmine problem for mine-affected countries with the ultimate aim of removing the risk for civilian population and the barriers to economic and social development”.
Denmark provides funding where the needs are most acute, primarily in areas where it has been possible to achieve synergy effect with other assistance activities. This applies for example to the Balkans and Northern Caucasus as well as to long-lasting crises in Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Iraq and Sudan.
In 2003, two years after the first policy had been initiated, the activities in support of mine action were thoroughly evaluated. At a subsequent conference in Copenhagen, one of the recommendations was among others to place stronger focus on a rights-based approach as a significant objective of international and Danish efforts. This was further underlined in the discussions at the review conference in Nairobi in 2004.
The international mine action community recognises that a rights-based approach will foster greater socio-political empowerment of grassroots, which may result in successful and sustainable development over time. When mine action implementers operate in post-conflict areas, it is on pro-poor and needs-based principles in an endeavour to ensure the rights to life, freedom of movement and access to resources for the people who live in vulnerable and dysfunctional post-conflict societies. However, development-oriented mine action heightens the requirement that local authorities be involved in and take responsibility for the process to the greatest extent possible. This consideration will be taken into account by attaching greater importance to capacity building.
The term “humanitarian mine action” is used, but may prove misleading as “humanitarian” is associated with emergency situations, rapid response, or post-conflict situations. Mine action is a lengthy process. In accordance with the most recent international practice, this policy paper uses the term “mine action” to describe activities of humanitarian as well as reconstruction and/or development-oriented assistance, and the term “mines” is used to represent anything from anti-personnel mines, unexploded ordnance to explosive remnants of war.
Mine action encompasses advocacy, mine risk education, support for mine victims, mine survey, identification, marking and fencing of mined areas as well as the physical removal and destruction of mines.
Mine free means the removal of all mines from the country in question as required under the Ottawa Convention. Bearing in mind that there are still UXOs from the two world wars in many countries in Europe, several donors and NGOs find that a more appropriate end state for donor-supported mine action is “mine-effect free”. This means that the impact of landmines and UXOs has been reduced to a level where they no longer constitute a significant threat to life, or an impediment to development, and where the country itself is in a position to address the problems that may arise in the future.
Technological innovation is defined as the improvement in procedures and processes as well as equipment. With respect to equipment, it may imply anything from improved and safer tools to more effective detection equipment and the development of more effective mine clearance machines.
Mines and UXOs are devices containing explosive substances. Normally, they are placed on or just under the ground. They will detonate when activated. An anti-personnel mine is designed to be activated by a person and an anti-tank mine (also known as an anti-vehicle mine) is designed to be activated by a tank or a vehicle.
Explosive remnants of war (ERW), as defined by international treaty, means all explosive devices left after a conflict, except mines and some other devices such as booby-traps. However, common usage tends not to make this distinction but sees ERW as meaning all explosive devices left after a conflict.
Globally, Denmark is among the ten largest contributors to mine action and among the five largest donors in the EU. In 2005, Denmark’s accumulated contribution to mine action totalled DKK 902 million (EUR 121 million). Over the last five years, Denmark’s annual contribution has averaged approximately DKK 96 million (EUR13 million).
The mine action activities which Denmark supports include advocacy, support for mine victims, coordination, local capacity building, mine risk education, research, mine survey and physical mine clearance.
Danish support to mine activities 1992-2005
EUR million
Table 1 (EUR 1 = DKK 7,50)
Denmark’s support has been provided through a broad array of organisations, but predominantly through the small group of Danish NGOs that are active in mine action.
Denmark has supported the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in its mine action work. The support is aimed at mine victims and information campaigns.
Furthermore, Denmark has supported advocacy through the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), including Landmine Monitor, which is the most important monitoring mechanism for the Ottawa Convention, as well as Geneva Call.2
Through the UN, Denmark supports the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action (VTF). Part of the funding is aimed at special mine action centres, whereas other resources have funded special activities under the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNICEF and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The VTF is managed by UNMAS, which channels funds for special mine action projects that are implemented by specific UN organisations. However, most mine action activities, especially in areas affected by humanitarian crises, are implemented by NGOs, both local and Danish organisations.
UNMAS coordinates global cooperation, for example with other UN organisations and NGOs.
Denmark has contributed to mine action through the budget of the European Commission. The Commission supports mine action in connection with humanitarian as well as reconstruction and development assistance. Furthermore, The Commission has provided funding for research, primarily with a view to developing new landmine detection technologies. Activities in connection with the development work include both independent mine action and support for local training of employees within national mine action organisations.
2) Geneva Call urges all non-government organisations to join "Deed of Commitment", the substance of which is the same as the Ottawa Convention.
While landmines continue to kill and maim a great number of people and constitute an obstacle to normal development, Denmark will continue to support and provide significant funds for mine action activities. Denmark will help governments in mine-affected states to mitigate the serious impact of the landmine problem with the ultimate aim of these governments taking full responsibility as soon as practicable.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Wherever relevant, Danish mine action will be incorporated in humanitarian efforts as well as in reconstruction and development assistance. Synergy should, to the greatest extent possible, be created with the broad array of other Danish efforts.
Funds from the extraordinary humanitarian contributions as well as bilateral funds may be used for mine clearance activities where this is considered necessary and where mine action is part of the PRSP or similar development plans.
Support for mine action will in particular be provided for countries in transition between emergency and post-conflict reconstruction that are in the process of establishing legitimate national governance and more stable economies. However, funding will also be provided for programme countries in which mines remain a threat to economic and social development.
Funding for mine action will be directed towards areas of greatest need. Where appropriate, activities will be concentrated geographically where it is possible to create synergy effect with other Danish funded activities.
The Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation (HUM) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will maintain responsibility for the development and coordination of mine action activities in cooperation with Danish Embassies and country offices. The Embassies will continue to hold responsibility for mine action activities in the programme countries. Against the background of the present selection of countries, it is expected that support for mine action through bilateral funds will, to a greater extent, be allocated in connection with transition assistance.
Danish funding will continue to be provided in support of mine action coordination at country level, including to maintain support for actual mine action operations and for national coordination organisations. Danish efforts will, furthermore, be targeted at coordinating mine action with other sectors, for example in donor coordination groups and national fora.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may respond to changes in needs with great flexibility. Consequently, the funds allocated to mine action may vary from one year to another. The implementation as such may take place in cooperation with international organisations, international and Danish NGOs and private enterprises.
Once individual applications have been assessed and approved, it is possible to obtain multi-annual grants. It is, however, a condition that the recipient country has attained a satisfactory degree of stability, and that the authorities in this country have sufficient capacity to participate in a cooperation programme of some duration.
Through the international network, the Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation will ensure knowledge of Danish mine action organisations to enable the further involvement of these in international efforts.
The new policy recognises mine action as an element in building confidence and in reconstructing stability and peace. Furthermore, Disarmament, Demobilisation and Rehabilitation (DDR) is a significant component in post-conflict recovery, and training soldiers in mine action may be one element of this process.
Funding will be provided for organisations that are able to implement the mine action activities in a professional manner. It is the responsibility of the donors to urge all parties to further improve the efficiency of mine action, to develop best practice, and to secure transparency. According to international standards, donors are expected to use competent implementing partners exclusively.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Danish funding will be channelled through organisations, etc. that have been selected against the background of their experience and competence as well as their operational capacity, local knowledge of the country in question and ability to build capacities at local level.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs may establish partnerships, such as multi-annual grants, with selected mine action agencies.
With a view to improving the efficiency of mine action activities and facilitating the transition from being a discrete sector to becoming a mainstream component of the development cooperation, importance will be attached to securing cooperation and coordination among Danish actors. This will take place within the framework of the Humanitarian Contact Group and its subgroup for mine action.
Implementation of the strategy paper
The Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will remain in charge of the coordination of mine action activities. Similarly, the Humanitarian Contact Group will continue to be a forum for cooperation between relevant Danish actors - organisations, private enterprises, etc.
Cooperation between Danish actors will be centred in the subgroup for mine action under the Humanitarian Contact Group. The subgroup will continue to function as a forum for the exchange of information concerning both current and new Danish and international initiatives.
In mine-affected countries where a Danish Embassy is located, the Embassy may assess the need for mine action and whether mine action may contribute to fulfilling the aims of the country’s PRSP. Furthermore, the Embassy may supervise any support for mine action.
Together with the government of the recipient country, the UN plays a key role in coordinating mine action, from emergency to more long-term efforts.
Denmark wishes to support the UN and international cooperation.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Denmark will maintain its support for the UN in order to strengthen the ability of the UN to coordinate, especially in countries where the local authorities are not yet in a position to do so.
Denmark recognises the key role played by the UN in the global coordination of mine action. Denmark will, therefore, provide funding for the budget of UNMAS to ensure that UNMAS can continue to play an important role in the coordination efforts.
Denmark supports the role played by UNMAS in maintaining a rapid response capability, but urges that all project and programmes be transferred to national ownership or to UNDP Country Office management as soon as possible.
Recognising the UNDP’s part in connection with capacity building in mine-affected countries and its supervision and management role in mine action in many countries, Denmark could provide limited funding to support the UNDP Mine Action Team in New York and its regional offices to enable these to empower the recipient country in question to assume responsibility for managing mine action activities.
Overall coordination and cooperation has improved, but there is considerable scope for improvement, both with regard to bilateral and multilateral assistance. Denmark supports a more coherent and efficient response to mine action reaching achievable results.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Danish-funded mine action activities are to be part of the international response, and overall responsibility is to rest with the recipient country and/or the UN.
Wherever relevant, Denmark will support the integration of mine action into the recipient country’s PRSP.
Denmark will urge co-financing arrangements with other relevant donors with a view to developing and extending multilateral mechanisms as one of the tools for improving inter-donor coordination.
Denmark supports international fora and relevant cooperation partners in their efforts to enhance and coordinate international cooperation.
For mine-affected countries to take responsibility for mine action in their own territories, it is necessary to develop national capacities. A step in this direction is to foster and support the political will in the national governments to properly address their mine-related problems. To achieve mine free or mine-effect free status in the long term, it is necessary to address current problems, while at the same time preparing for handling the long-term problems, which may be achieved by incorporating mine action into the PRSP and/or the MDG.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Denmark will work in partnership with the recipient countries. The planning of mine action should be based on national priorities and, wherever possible, following the framework set out in the PRSP or similar development plans.
It is important that donor commitment is matched by recipient government commitment. Denmark’ expectations of this commitment will be adjusted on a case-by-case basis in countries with poor or minimal governance.
The capacity in the recipient country depends on technical and managerial competencies. Danish NGOs have a good track record in national capacity building, and work should be taken forward based on their experience.
All mine action activities are to enhance technical and managerial capacity building among local partners. Denmark expects organisations that receive funding to contribute to this process both at central and decentralised levels. However, in special cases where swift action can be implemented effectively, this requirement may be departed from.
Denmark wishes mine action to be integrated in the national development process in order for mine action support to be aimed at an achievable end state and the transfer of full ownership and responsibility to the national government.
Implementation of the strategy paper
All projects are to have a defined end state, and a description of the necessary steps for reaching that state.
Denmark will regularly review the end state it wishes to achieve in each recipient country.
An appropriate exit strategy on how Denmark can withdraw from the project is to be developed as soon as possible during each project.
Successful reconstruction in a post-conflict society requires the application of a rights-based approach. Mine action must provide the freedom of movement and the rights to housing, health services, schools and the cultivation of fields. Mine action also impacts on the right to ownership of land, which places focus on poverty reduction and development. Mine action activities include gender mainstreaming in all aspects.
Implementation of the strategy paper
As a large-scale employer in post-conflict societies, mine action is expected to involve both men and women in various mine action activities
Denmark’s assistance endeavours to develop a culture in which open and transparent administration in the recipient country is a matter of course. Consequently, all projects are to further the inclusion of all sections of society into the project planning and implementation and the prioritisation of tasks under national management to increase the understanding of the project and make expectations more realistic.
All projects are to ensure that all sections of society are direct and equitable beneficiaries of mine action.
As mine action activities are seen as part of overall reconstruction and development assistance, the activities will also comprise matters relating to ownership of land in connection with land cleared of mines.
The management of mine action activities has improved. However, as mine action is increasingly seen in connection with other development activities, it must be assessed by how well it is integrated in and facilitates other forms of support.
Implementation of the strategy paper
All projects and programmes are to meet the international mine action standards except in cases where the international standards have been amended by relevant national authorities and formally adopted. Denmark will continue to allocate funds for the development of standards.
Denmark is prepared to support the development of training and management tools that can promote the cost-effectiveness of mine action activities, preferably under national management.All partners are expected to participate in the further development of competencies and working methods promoting quality and effectiveness in the mine action efforts.
Mine action programmes funded by Denmark will be subject to evaluation with a view to benefiting from lessons learned.
The strategy encourages research, testing and the use of techniques that will reduce the risk of accidents.
All activities funded by Denmark are to meet international or national mine action standards. This applies to health, safety and environmental issues covering the programme staff, the effectiveness of their work and the residual impact on the environment
Environmental protection is a Danish priority. Therefore, appropriate environmental impact assessments will be performed. Wherever necessary, i.e. in connection with large-scale mechanical clearance projects, an environmental management plan will be drawn up.
Mine action, and especially mine clearance, is an expensive activity with a variable output. Therefore, it is important to prioritise the tasks in advance and to use the right analysis tools, including socio-economic analyses and technical analyses.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Danish-funded activities will be selected on the basis of socio-economic analyses to identify areas where mine action will be most cost-effective and of greatest benefit to mine-affected populations. This should take place within a national framework.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark expects implementing partners to participate in the further development of socio-economic tools that can promote quality and effectiveness.
Technological research and development is required to improve productivity and cost-efficiency. Few donors have been willing to fund the essential pre-production development through in-field trials. Denmark will seek to redress this imbalance in cooperation with other donors. The areas of mine clearance where technological innovation is still required are, for example, better detection systems, area reduction systems, and more effective mine destruction techniques.
Implementation of the strategy paper
Denmark will, to a limited extent, consider co-funding realistic, targeted technological innovation projects. As a general rule, the technology in question must be mature and capable of development to field-trial status within two years.
Danish funds may also be applied to research in better and sustainable methodologies and processes, such as risk management techniques and information management.
Denmark will seek to cooperate with international donors and other organisations on existing projects of common interest.
Although the Ottawa Convention has been highly successful and effective, more work needs to be done. There is scope to extend the Ottawa Convention to include important specific non-signatories, enabling compliance by these with the Convention in practice. Non-state actors should join the Geneva Call Deed of Commitment.
Implementation of the strategy paper
As part of its political and diplomatic dialogue with countries that have not signed the Convention, Denmark will urge these to ratify and comply with the Ottawa Convention.
Denmark will, to a limited extent, fund organisations working with countries that have not ratified the Convention.
Non-state actors constitute a special challenge. Denmark funds among others NGOs, such as Geneva Call, which endeavour to persuade non-state actors to sign a Deed of Commitment, the substance of which is similar to the Ottawa Convention.
The annual Landmine Monitor is the most important monitoring mechanism for compliance with the Ottawa Convention. Denmark will continue to support this effort.
This part sets out the most important measurable areas/dimensions for assessing how mine action efforts are progressing. Although not all areas/dimensions are likely to be relevant for all the efforts supported by Denmark, many of them will be so. Denmark wishes to obtain maximum benefit from the assistance provided and expects partners to include as many of these areas/dimensions as possible in the monitoring of their projects.
Reduction in mine-related casualties. Denmark will support projects and programmes that are targeted at reducing mine-related casualties and allow for the measuring of casualties. Denmark recognises that it is not possible to completely avoid mine-related casualties.
Reduction in poverty and vulnerability, including support for the restoration of access to land and infrastructure. This will be measured on the:
Development of national capacity. This is a principal aim of Danish development assistance, and it will be measured against the background of four expectations:
Improvement in the international response to mine action. Mine action tasks are best performed in cooperation with other actors and may be evaluated at a variety of levels:
Promotion of confidence building. Although this is rarely a justification in itself for funding mine action, it will under certain circumstances be considered an additional measure of success. This is the case when mine action can foster confidence in fragile communities and demonstrate international solidarity with at least one of their concerns.
Improvement in the technology base for mine action. This will take place in cooperation with other partners. The evaluation of results will be performed against the background of the improvements in safety, cost-efficiency and cost-effectiveness achieved in the course of the project period.