Adhering To Bans On Mines Only In Peace Time Will Not Work: UN Rights Chief
Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine have taken or are considering steps to withdraw from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction – known also as the Ottawa Convention, after the Canadian city where the process was launched.
'These weapons risk causing persistent and long-term, serious harm to civilians, including children,' Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement. 'Like other international humanitarian law treaties, the Ottawa Convention was principally designed to govern the conduct of parties to armed conflicts.'
'Adhering to them in times of peace only to withdraw from them in times of war or for newly invoked national security considerations seriously undermines the framework of international humanitarian law.'
A threat to civilians
Anti-personnel mines are one of the two main types of mines and target people – as opposed to anti-vehicle mines. However, because both of these mines are triggered automatically, they result in huge numbers of civilian deaths, especially children.
Their deadly risks linger long after hostilities end, contaminating farmland, playgrounds, and homes, and posing a constant threat to unsuspecting civilians.
Agreed in 1997, the Ottawa Convention prohibits signatories from using, stockpiling, producing or transferring anti-personnel mines due to the threat that these weapons pose to civilians, especially children.
In the two-and-a-half decades since it was passed, the Ottawa Convention has 166 States parties, has led to the a marked reduction in the use of anti-personnel mines.
Trends reversing
However, in recent years, these positive trends have begun to reverse with the number of civilians killed and injured by mines increasing by 22 per cent in 2024 – 85 per cent of the casualties were civilians and half of them were children.
Despite progress, some 100 million people across 60 countries still live under the threat of landmines.
In Ukraine, for instance, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) estimates that more than 20 per cent of the country's land is contaminated – amounting to 139,000 square kilometres.
Similarly, landmines remain still a significant threat in Cambodia, decades after the end of the conflict and years of de-mining efforts.
Uphold international law
Mr. Türk urged all parties to the Ottawa Convention to uphold their international legal obligations regarding anti-personnel mines and on non-signatories to join the Convention.
'With so many civilians suffering from the use of anti-personnel mines, I call on all States to refrain from leaving any international humanitarian law treaty, and to immediately suspend any withdrawal process that may be underway.'
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Geneva, 2 July 2025 I am gravely alarmed by the steps taken or being considered by Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine to withdraw from the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction. The Ottawa Convention, with over 160 State parties, is a crucial tool in responding to the devastating impact of anti-personnel mines on civilians. These weapons kill and maim civilians and combatants indiscriminately and affect people's freedom of movement, access to agricultural land, and right to development, even decades after the end of hostilities. These weapons risk causing persistent and long-term, serious harm to civilians, including children. Like other international humanitarian law treaties, the Ottawa Convention was principally designed to govern the conduct of parties to armed conflicts. Adhering to them in times of peace only to withdraw from them in times of war or for newly invoked national security considerations seriously undermines the framework of international humanitarian law. With so many civilians suffering from the use of anti-personnel mines, I call on all States to refrain from leaving any international humanitarian law treaty, and to immediately suspend any withdrawal process that may be underway. I also call on all States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Ottawa Convention to do so as soon as possible.
