GENDER AND DIVERSITY IN THE
ANTI-PERSONNEL MINE BANCONVENTION (APMBC)
Landmines continue to harm people and communities around the world. Gender norms, along with other identity factors—such as age,disability and ethnicity—can influence exposure to risk, access to risk education, ownership and control of cleared land, as well as theability for direct and indirect victims to access their rights and to benefit from medical care, mental health and psychosocial support,
and rehabilitation and socioeconomic inclusion services.

CASUALTIES BY SEX AND/OR AGE IN 2022 1ADULTFATALITIES BY SEX AND/OR AGE IN 2022

CHILD

ADULT

2CHILD

FemaleMaleUnknown

FemaleMaleUnknown

FemaleMale

Unknown

FemaleMaleUnknown

244

1624

280

149

449

573

82599

111

39

143

204

7%

49%

8,5%

4,5%

14%

17%

7%

51%

9.5%

3.5%

12%

17%

GENDERED IMPACTS
Because of social and economic roles, men and boys are more
likely to be killed or injured in landmines accidents.
Women, as well as girls and boys, are more often indirect victims.
Because of predominant gender norms, they often need to take ona caregiving role for survivors and provide financial support for theirfamilies when the main provider is injured or killed.

In some contexts, when family resources are limited after alandmine accident, girls are more likely to be the first ones to betaken out of school and/or married at an early age.
The interplay of gender and other identity factors (e.g. age, race,disability, socioeconomic class, sexual orientation, ethnic origin,language and urban/rural differences) can lead to further
marginalization, stigmatization, and challenges for survivors, thefamilies of those killed and injured, and affected communities thatshare such identity characteristics.

WHY GENDER AND DIVERSITY MATTER IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE APMBCLEAVING NO ONE BEHIND
Incorporating gender and diversity considerations into
programming helps ensure that survey, clearance, risk
education, advocacy and victim assistance activities deliver
for all, including those that often are marginalized and face
more obstacles to access their rights.

GENERATING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Access to employment in mine action can have a positiveimpact on the lives of individuals, particularly members ofsocioeconomically disadvantaged, marginalized and/or
at-risk groups.

ENHANCING EFFECTIVENESS
Different groups of society, performing different tasks andactivities, may hold different information on land
contamination. Recruiting mixed-gender teams withdiverse backgrounds (ethnic, religious, linguistic, etc.) canensure more effective communication and active
participation in community-facing activities.

ACHIEVING THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)
Mainstreaming gender and diversity in the implementationof the APMBC contributes to the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 5 on GenderEquality and Women’s Empowerment and SDG 16 onPeace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

1Casualties include injuries and fatalities. In 2022, there were an additional 1391 casualties where data on sex and/or age was not recorded. See ICBL-CMC, Landmine Monitor Report 2023,Geneva, November 2023.

2In 2022, there were an additional 483 fatalities where data on sex and/or age was not recorded. See ICBL-CMC, Landmine Monitor Report 2023, Geneva, November 2023.

THE APMBC OSLO ACTION PLAN
The APMBC aims to end the causalities and suffering caused byanti-personnel mines through four main objectives: ensuring
universal adherence, clearing mined areas, destroying stockpiled
mines, and assisting the victims.

In its latest Action Plan, known as the Oslo Action Plan
(2020–2024), APMBC States Parties committed to take a numberof practical steps to integrate gender perspectives and the diverse
needs and experiences of people in affected communities into all
aspects of mine action and programming.

States Parties also decided to amend the working methods of the Convention’s Committees. Each of the five Committees appoints a Gender
Focal Point to provide advice on gender mainstreaming and to ensure that the diverse needs and experiences of people in affected communities
are taken into account in the implementation of the Oslo Action Plan.

SYNERGIES BETWEEN THE APMBC & THE WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY (WPS) AGENDA
PARTICIPATIONPREVENTION & PROTECTION

The participation of women in mine action activities and theiremployment in different roles, including operations andmanagement, is transformative and contributes to women’s
economic empowerment, increased participation anddecision-making power.

The ban on the use of landmines and the destruction of
their stockpiles contributes to the prevention of andprotection
fromarmed
violence.
Genderand
diversity-sensitive education to the risks of landmines
contributes to preventing injuries and saving lives. Victim
assistance and advocacy for rights of survivors help combat
the high level of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)
faced by women with disabilities.

RELIEF & RECOVERY
Clearance and handover of land previously contaminated bylandmines can redress gender imbalances and empower
women in the community. The same applies togender-sensitive assistance to landmine victims.

AREAS FOR ACTION
ALL STATESDESIGN and implement initiatives aimed at promoting
more diverse representation, including that of survivors, inleadership roles in Convention meetings.

IMPROVE data-collection mechanisms to go beyond sex
and age to collect data on gender, disability and otherdiversity factors. Particular focus should be paid tocollection of disability data to align with the Oslo Action
Plan.

ENSURE that victim-assistance programmes are genderand diversity-responsive, and include specific actions tominimize stigma and discrimination based on gender,
disability and other factors; and promote the mental healthand psychosocial well-being of all victims.
EXAMINE practical ways to strengthen synergies between
the Convention and other international agreements andagendas, especially promoting gender equality andinclusion.

AFFECTED STATESREPORT on concrete measures taken to ensure thatdiversity and gender equality are incorporated in all
activities, in extension requests and transparency reports.

MOVE BEYOND data collection by sex to also encompass
gender, age and disability and ensure that disaggregateddata is used effectively to inform programmes and victims
assistance.

DONOR STATESSET clear and detailed requirements to ensure that project
design, implementation and reporting by recipient States
are at minimum sensitive to gender, age, disability, as wellas the diversity of populations in affected communities.

PROVIDE budget for thorough context/conflict analysis toinform project design in a gender and diversity sensitive
manner.

ENSURE that explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) istargeted towards those at risk by avoiding arbitrarytargets for risk education beneficiaries (e.g. 50/50
female/male targets) in favour of an approach thatbalances the need to reach all affected age, disability, andgender groups, with the need to target those most at risk.

CREATE training opportunities for women and support
the deployment of mixed-gender clearance andcommunity-facing teams wherever possible.