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Side events

All times UTC+1 - Description and organisation of side events is the sole responsibility of the organiser(s). They do not reflect the position of the Convention or its Secretariat.

Monday 16 November 

13:00 – 15:00 | Landmine Monitor 2020 Briefing 

Host: Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor

Civil society experts will discuss recent developments in landmine ban policy, survey and the clearance of landmines and other explosive remnants of war, casualties, risk education and efforts to guarantee rights, and meet the needs of landmine victims.

13:00 – 15:00 | EU Council Decision: Challenges and Successes in Implementation

Host: European Union

In 2017, the EU Council adopted a Decision to support States Parties’ efforts to implement various Convention aspects and promote its norms. What has been achieved to date, what will occur next? An informative session with States including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda and civil society perspective presented by partners ICBL and ICRC. Interpretation: English, Español, عربى

Tuesday 17 November 

12:30 – 14:00 | Access, awareness, and inclusion in times of isolation and anxiety: Reaching people impacted by mines and those in high risk groups

Host: ICBL-Landmine Monitor

Despite gains in recognition of their rights, the situation of mine-affected communities, and many survivors, has become increasingly challenged with social and economic restrictions, conflict, and the current COVID-19 pandemic. Survivors and persons with disabilities require specifically enhanced support efforts. The social and the economic impact of the measures to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic can make conflict survivors and persons with disabilities more vulnerable. Communities at risk of mine incidents and those facing mine threats in their livelihood activities need to be reached with appropriate messages. Panellists will discuss inclusive means for identifying these threats and innovative responses to the combined physical, social, and psychological impacts.

13:00 – 14:30 | Sudan’s Article 5 obligation and the implication of the Peace Agreement

Host: Permanent Mission of Sudan

Sudan signed a peace agreement with the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF) and Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) on 7 September 2020. As the deadline for Sudan to meet its obligations under Article 5 of April 2023 is approaching, it is important to understand the implication of the current peace agreement on Sudan’s work plan to meet its obligations. The event will shed light on the direct impact of the agreement on Sudan’s work plan and the financial requirements required to meet its obligations. The meeting will also be attended by a representative from SPLM-N Hilu whose participation is crucial for Sudan to be fully compliant to the Convention.

13:00 – 14:30 |The recovery of human remains in weapon contaminated settings

Host: International Committee of the Red Cross

This side event will present and discuss new guidelines published by the ICRC on the recovery of human remains in weapon contaminated settings. These guidelines are also the basis of a new IMAS chapter that was submitted to the IMAS Review Board in February 2020. When operating in weapon-contaminated environments, forensic teams are often unaware of the explosive hazards that they might encounter. Accordingly, mine-clearance and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialists may be unaware of the legal requirements to treat human remains with respect and, as far as possible, to facilitate their recovery and identification. This guide therefore seeks to identify common operational principles and outcomes to foster a more collaborative approach between forensic and EOD teams in weapon-contaminated settings.

Wednesday 18 November 2020

13:00 – 14:30 | Inclusivity and Landmine Free 2025: making progress in a pandemic

Host: Landmine Free 2025 Campaign

Hear directly from the people striving to make Landmine Free 2025 a reality, including contributions from de-miners and staff working in Colombia and Zimbabwe. This discussion will examine how progress is being made to eradicate the harm caused by landmines despite the COVID-19 pandemic. We will also discuss the opportunities to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and ensure some of the world’s most marginalised communities are included in significant economic, health and environmental improvements.

13:00-14:00 | Sustainable development goals and mine action

Host: Norwegian People's Aid & Conflict and Environmental Observatory

To meet societal and environmental challenges, mine action must align with the SDGs. GICHD reviewed the links between mine action and the SDGs in 2017, recommending that further mapping was critical to demonstrate relevance across other areas, such as agriculture. We will discuss what still needs to be done, including how to measure mine action outcomes against the SDGs. The session will focus on environmental protection, covering: 1) how to document relevance 2) what targets can and should be set and monitored, and 3) improving collaboration and making stronger links with development. Speakers from outside mine action will also share experience of the challenges in meeting SDG targets, strengthening collaboration and drive action across organisations.

14:00 – 15:00 | Managing Complex Environmental Challenges within Mine Action

Host: HALO Trust

Mine action does not operate in isolation of global trends and challenges. We must ensure diverse experiences and expertise are engaged when grappling with complex issues that have significant long-term humanitarian and sustainable development impacts. This side event invites experts working at the intersection of conflict and the environment to deepen discussions of conservation, climate change, and environmental management within the mine action space.

Thursday 19 November 2020

13:00 – 14:30 | Moving Forward Via Humanitarian Disarmament

Host: Forum on the Arms Trade, with International Campaign to Ban Landmines and the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Costa Rica

The global pandemic has laid bare the need to define security based on human needs, rather than military might. In recognition, countries have continued to join key humanitarian disarmament efforts on landmines, cluster munitions, nuclear weapons, killer robots, explosive weapons in populated areas, the arms trade and more. But, in too many places, we see a shrinking of civil society space. And the pace of diplomatic progress has slowed. Join us in this virtual side event to discuss the humanitarian disarmament approach, latest developments, and the work ahead.

13:30 – 14:30 | Alternative Finance for Mine Action & Development

Host: HALO Trust

International cooperation and assistance in mine action is based overwhelmingly on bilateral assistance. This will remain essential to achieving progress towards the Convention’s 2025 goal. But with the Landmine Free 2025 Campaign estimating a $1bn shortfall in global funding for survey and clearance, increased pace of progress will depend as much on increased political will as alternative funding models. This event will bring together experts, including in development finance, to explore how these can be applied to mine action sector.

13:00 – 14:15 | L’utilisation des mines antipersonnel de nature improvisées en Afrique de l’Ouest et au Sahel – Impacts et réponses

Host: United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Geneva Office

Des groupes armés non étatiques sévissent dans la région en faisant fi des frontières en Afrique de l’Ouest et au Sahel. Ces groupes armés utilisent des engins explosifs improvisés (EEI) qui fonctionnent comme des mines antipersonnel pour cibler les forces de défense et de sécurité, entrainant souvent la mort et la mutilation de civils. Cet évènement fournit une plateforme d’échanges sur les défis liés à la sécurité et l’utilisation de mines antipersonnel de nature improvisée. Après un aperçu de la situation sous divers angles et de leurs conséquences, les présentations et discussions permettront de faire la lumière sur certaines réponses face à cette menace, mettant en avant les possibilités d’actions dans la région.

Friday 20 November 2020

13:30-15:00 | The UK Presents: Clearance Completion in the Falklands

Host: The Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom

Celebrating the United Kingdom's completion of mine clearance in the Falkland Islands. This side event will bring together presentations from de-miners, programme directors, community leaders and including a limited Q&A.

13:00-14:30 | Enabling best practice through national standards

Host: Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining

Standards are a primary means of capturing, distilling and communicating best practice in mine action, which is key to fulfilling the Oslo Action Plan, Action #5 through sustainable, nationally-owned action. This side event provides an update on initiatives to support affected countries in updating national standards, including thematic approaches on the environment and gender, and the national responses in view of action plan objectives. The release of the innovative mineaction.net tool will be presented, as a significant step in making it easier to access, understand and demonstrate compliance with IMAS and NMAS. High quality national standards are imperative to ensure that mine action operations are as effective and efficient as possible. Initiatives to enhance the quality of national standards, and speed up efforts to implement Convention obligations will be discussed from a variety of perspectives during this event.

 

*The UN notes that a dispute exists between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning sovereignty over the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).