Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines
Encyclopedia
The Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines (the Swiss Campaign or SCBL) is a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines
(ICBL). It is an umbrella organisation
composed of about 50 Swiss NGOs
gathered around the common objective of banning antipersonnel landmines
and similar indiscriminate weapons (such as cluster munitions
or anti-vehicle landmines). At the national level, the Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines successfully advocated in favor of a national ban of antipersonnel landmines and of Switzerland’s signature and ratification of the Ottawa Treaty
in 1995-1997. Within the ICBL, the Swiss Campaign was a member of the Non State Actors Working Group, which it co-chaired until the end of 2004.
, which primarily aims at engaging armed non-state actor
s in a total ban of antipersonnel landmines. Moreover, the Swiss Campaign has supported the creation of other national campaigns of the ICBL, such as the Nepal
Campaign to Ban Landmines and more recently, the Turkish
Campaign to Ban Landmines. Both these organisations are now independent members of the ICBL. The Swiss Campaign is also a member of the Cluster Munition Coalition
and supports current efforts to ban cluster munitions.
Because mine action programmes and activities do not equally benefit women and men, the SCBL launched a Gender and Mine Action Programme (GMAP) in December 2006. This programme encourages and supports the mine action
sector to mainstream
gender through its policy, programming and operations. The programme today constitutes the main component of the Swiss Campaign's work. The general objective of GMAP is to contribute to the reduction of suffering faced by women, men, girls and boys as landmine victims, survivors, families and members of affected communities. This complements current efforts within the United Nations
system to integrate a gender perspective throughout mine action projects. GMAP intends to improve mine action effectiveness by increasing awareness on gender and mine action amongst mine action organisations, women's grassroots
organisations and other stakeholders.
The GMAP is co-located with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining in their offices in Geneva, Switzerland.
International Campaign to Ban Landmines
The International Campaign to Ban Landmines is a coalition of non-governmental organizations working for a world free of anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions, where mine and cluster munitions survivors see their rights respected and can lead fulfilling lives.The coalition was formed in...
(ICBL). It is an umbrella organisation
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
composed of about 50 Swiss NGOs
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
gathered around the common objective of banning antipersonnel landmines
Anti-personnel mine
Anti-personnel mines are a form of land mine designed for use against humans, as opposed to anti-tank mines, which are designed for use against vehicles...
and similar indiscriminate weapons (such as cluster munitions
Cluster bomb
A cluster munition is a form of air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapon that releases or ejects smaller sub-munitions. Commonly, this is a cluster bomb that ejects explosive bomblets that are designed to kill enemy personnel and destroy vehicles...
or anti-vehicle landmines). At the national level, the Swiss Campaign to Ban Landmines successfully advocated in favor of a national ban of antipersonnel landmines and of Switzerland’s signature and ratification of the Ottawa Treaty
Ottawa Treaty
The Ottawa Treaty or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, officially known as the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, aims at eliminating anti-personnel landmines around the world. , there were 158...
in 1995-1997. Within the ICBL, the Swiss Campaign was a member of the Non State Actors Working Group, which it co-chaired until the end of 2004.
Activities
The Swiss Campaign has also participated in the creation of Geneva CallGeneva Call
Geneva Call is an NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland that focuses on engaging armed non-state actors, such as guerrilla groups and liberation movements, to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law...
, which primarily aims at engaging armed non-state actor
Non-state actor
Non-state actors are categorized as entities participating or acting in the sphere of international relations; organisations with sufficient power to influence and cause change in politics which are...
s in a total ban of antipersonnel landmines. Moreover, the Swiss Campaign has supported the creation of other national campaigns of the ICBL, such as the Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
Campaign to Ban Landmines and more recently, the Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Campaign to Ban Landmines. Both these organisations are now independent members of the ICBL. The Swiss Campaign is also a member of the Cluster Munition Coalition
Cluster Munition Coalition
The Cluster Munition Coalition is an international civil society movement campaigning against the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions. Cluster munitions are a type of explosive weapon widely stockpiled by more than 80 states...
and supports current efforts to ban cluster munitions.
Gender and Mine Action Programme
Mine action
Mine action is a domain within humanitarian aid and development studies concerned with activities which aim to reduce the social, economic and environmental impact of landmines and the explosive remnants of war...
sector to mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
gender through its policy, programming and operations. The programme today constitutes the main component of the Swiss Campaign's work. The general objective of GMAP is to contribute to the reduction of suffering faced by women, men, girls and boys as landmine victims, survivors, families and members of affected communities. This complements current efforts within the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
system to integrate a gender perspective throughout mine action projects. GMAP intends to improve mine action effectiveness by increasing awareness on gender and mine action amongst mine action organisations, women's grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
organisations and other stakeholders.
The GMAP is co-located with the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining in their offices in Geneva, Switzerland.