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Addressing the humanitarian and development impact posed by mines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war
Addressing the humanitarian and development impact posed by mines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war
Summary
The Lebanese community and the refugee community are suffering from a legacy contamination in Lebanon where a significant number of lands in the Bekaa, South, Mount Lebanon and other areas of Lebanon are still contaminated by landmines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war (ERW). The issue of contamination has been further compounded in 2017 following the defeat of terrorist groups in the North-Eastern border region that was contaminated mainly with improvised explosive devices (IEDs).This proposed project focuses on empowering the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) - the responsible body for the execution and coordination of the Lebanon Mine Action Programme (LMAP) on behalf of the Mine Action Authority - and enabling it to sustainably manage and address the humanitarian and development impact posed by mines, Explosive Remnants of War and Cluster Munitions. The overall objective is to significantly attenuate the impact of contamination risks through the promotion of resilient adaptable government institutions.
Background
The issue of mines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in Lebanon has resulted from over four decades of conflict, leading to widespread land contamination. By the end of 2023, approximately 24 million square meters of land remained contaminated, 75% of which could potentially be used for agriculture.
Contamination has severe humanitarian and socio-economic impacts. A 2019 UNDP socio-economic study estimated that ERW contamination could cost Lebanon $600 million in lost economic opportunities by 2027, primarily due to the inability of communities to use their land for agriculture and other livelihoods.
Despite these challenges, the study also found that every dollar invested in mine action yields $4.15 in socio-economic benefits, demonstrating the significant impact of clearance activities on improving community conditions.
Recent developments, such as the North-Eastern Border conflicts, the Syrian refugee crisis, the Government of Lebanon's decision to start Blue Line clearance operations, the severe economic crisis, social and political unrest, the Beirut port explosion, and the Covid-19 crisis, have expanded the scope of mine action. The influx of Syrian refugees, many of whom settled near contaminated areas, has increased mine accidents and casualties, with about 30% of recent victims being refugees.
The infiltration of terrorist groups in the North-Eastern border area led to extensive contamination with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), necessitating clearance operations from 2017 up until 2023, when LMAC declared the North-Eastern area free from IEDs. Additionally, in 2016, the Government of Lebanon initiated clearance operations along the Blue Line, a 118 km stretch between Lebanon and the occupied Palestinian territories, which contains over 1,000 minefields and requires substantial resources for clearance. Due to recent aggressions on Lebanon's southern borders, the ongoing conflict in 2023 has resulted in unknown unexploded remnants.
Since 2010, UNDP has been supporting LMAC to enable it to implement the LMAP and its strategy, while concurrently promoting the capacity of army personnel to adopt a humanitarian approach rather than a pure military approach. The support of an international body such as UNDP with experience in mine action and capacity building of Lebanese public institutions was necessary since local organizations and institutions had very little capacity to take on this responsibility. UNDP has provided assistance, inter alia, on the coordination with communities, the entry and aggregation of data, quality control and quality assurance of clearance operations (QA/QC), the development and update of national mine action standards, reporting in line with Lebanon’s international obligations, Mine Risk Education, Mine Victims Assistance and LMAC’s involvement in the Arab Regional Cooperation Program (ARCP).
The EU generously funded UNDP’s support to LMAC for 10 years ending in 2019 with the following objective: “The LMAC empowered and enabled to sustainably manage and address the humanitarian and development impact posed by mines.” A critical achievement was the establishment of the Regional School for Humanitarian Demining in Lebanon (RSHDL), aimed at serving Lebanon and neighboring countries affected by conflicts.
In collaboration with UNDP, LMAC developed a comprehensive 5-year strategy (2020-2025) for the Mine Action Program. This strategy, created through a participatory approach involving national and international stakeholders, aims to advance the sector through a coordinated effort. The strategy was reviewed in 2024 to ensure ongoing relevance and effectiveness.
Additionally, UNDP supported the creation of the Mine Action Forum in 2018, a coordination and partnership mechanism to promote the implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). This forum, with UNDP as secretariat, has facilitated multiple meetings to enhance collaboration and advocacy in mine action.
In 2021, the Netherlands initiated funding for the UNDP project titled 'Addressing the Humanitarian and Development Impact Posed by Mines, Cluster Munitions, and Explosives Remnants of War.' This support is directed towards enhancing LMAC's institutional strength, capacity building, and advocacy efforts.
Major achievements
- Declaring the Northern Governorate of Lebanon completely clear of mines
- Victims of mines enabled to socially and economically reintegrate into their communities through income generated activities
- Impacted communities empowered and equipped to deal with the residual risk of mines through Explosive Ordinance Risk Education (EORE)
- LMAC’s institutional capacity strengthened to enable the LMAC to meet its national, regional, and international obligations as well as transfer its expertise to support stability, security, and territorial cohesion
Project outcome
- Core national capacity to document and prioritize clearance operations strengthened and land release supported
- LMAC’s compliance with international and national obligations maintained and its coordination functions strengthened
- LMAC’s communication and partnerships capacities strengthened
GESI Component (Gender Equality and Social Inclusion) - Strengthen LMAC’s information management system through training and other support activities and support the development of gender disaggregated data in terms of Mine Victim Assistance, Mine Risk Education and Prioritization
- In 2024, UNDP will develop a livelihoods and socio-economic assessment for all remaining contaminated areas including the impact of such activities on women and vulnerable groups. The assessment will disaggregate data in terms of gender and promote and adopt the prioritization of women headed households in land clearance and release and advocate for gender inclusivity
- Support LMAC in the development of a media communication strategy that among others, promotes human rights, gender inclusivity and the rights of people with disabilities.
- In 2023, UNDP organized a one-day workshop at the RSHDL, to celebrate the International Women’s Day, with all women working in the mine action sector in Lebanon.
Mine action is a male-dominated field; hence, LMAC is committed to empowering women and incorporating a gender-sensitive approach in all activities. The needs and perspectives of women, girls, men, and boys are considered to ensure an inclusive humanitarian mine action (HMA) response. Conflict sensitivity, gender, inclusion, and diversity are integrated across all activities, involving community liaison and participatory processes that engage men, women, girls, boys, explosive ordnance victims, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups.
Recognizing that cluster munitions, mines, and other ERW affect individuals differently, LMAC ensures gender and diversity-sensitive responses and dialogues with affected communities. LMAC upholds high standards of conduct, ensuring all individuals are treated with dignity and respect and have equal access to opportunities. All personnel must adhere to LMAC and implementing agencies' codes of conduct, even when off duty.
LMAC maintains an updated IMSMA database with data segregated by sex, age, disability, nationality, and internally displaced people (IDP) status to support inclusive decision-making. Additionally, LMAC shares updates and amendments to the National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) with all implementing partners (IPs), specifically addressing gender and diversity concerns, to ensure stakeholders update their standard operating procedures (SOPs) accordingly.
The project is actively advancing Gender Equality and Social Inclusion through various initiatives. Efforts are being made to strengthen LMAC's information management system by providing training and support activities, along with developing gender-disaggregated data for Mine Victim Assistance, Mine Risk Education, and Prioritization. In 2024, UNDP will conduct a livelihoods and socio-economic assessment of all remaining contaminated areas, focusing on the impact of mine action on women and vulnerable groups. This assessment will emphasize the prioritization of women-headed households in land clearance and release, advocating for gender inclusivity. Additionally, the project supports LMAC in developing a media communication strategy that promotes human rights, gender inclusivity, and the rights of people with disabilities. In 2023, UNDP organized a one-day workshop at the RSHDL to celebrate International Women’s Day, bringing together all women working in the mine action sector in Lebanon, highlighting the project's commitment to gender inclusivity and empowerment.
In 2024, UNDP in collaboration with MAG, organized a workshop, titled "International Women’s Day 2024- Empowering Voices, Embracing Diversity – Launching Gender and Inclusive Forum," focusing on promoting gender diversity and inclusion in mine action. It features interactive sessions with breakout groups discussing challenges and opportunities for gender inclusion, followed by presentations of recommendations.