The most well-known treaty in the area of mine action is the 1997 anti-personnel mine ban treaty ("Ottawa Convention"). The treaty, which imposes a total ban on antipersonnel landmines, resulted from negotiations led by a powerful and unusual coalition involving governments, the United Nations, international organisations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and over 1,400 nongovernmental organizations through a network known as the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) . This unprecedented coalition used advocacy to raise public awareness of the impact of antipersonnel landmines on civilians and to rally global support for a total ban.
In December 1997, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines and its coordinator, Jody Williams, won the Nobel Peace Prize. The anti-personnel mine ban treaty entered into force on 1 March 1999. As of 1 March 2007, 153 countries had ratified or acceded to the treaty. For more information visit the anti-personnel mine ban treaty (Convention) website
When a country becomes a "state party" to the treaty, it agrees never to use, develop, produce, stockpile or transfer antipersonnel landmines, or to assist any other party to conduct these activities; to destroy all stockpiled antipersonnel landmines within four years; to clear all laid antipersonnel landmines within 10 years; and, when it is within its means, to provide assistance for mine clearance, mine awareness, stockpile destruction, and victim assistance activities worldwide. Under Article 7, each state party is required to report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on appropriate measures undertaken to fulfill its treaty obligations. For more information visit Office of Disarmament Affairs' Article 7 Report Database
Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction
Ending the Suffering Caused by Anti-Personnel Mines: Nairobi Action Plan 2005-2009