GENEVA INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR HUMANITARIAN DEMINING
The
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) supports the
efforts of the international community in reducing the impact of mines and
unexploded ordnance (UXO). The Centre is active in research, provides
operational assistance to on-going demining programmes in the field and supports
the implementation of the Mine Ban Convention (MBC) as mandated by the States
Parties in September 2001.
The GICHD is an independent and impartial organisation. It was established on
a Swiss initiative and is now supported by the Governments of Austria, Belgium,
Cambodia, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan,
Mexico, Norway, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the
United States of America, and the Republic and Canton of Geneva. The Centre has
particularly close working relations with the United Nations (UN).
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
The GICHD continued its research work aimed at
providing guidance and support to mine action programmes in the field. The
studies are carried out on demand and are funded by donors on a project by
project basis.
Since April 2001, several major studies were completed by the GICHD. Examples
are
the Socio-economic Study, whichprovides a framework for
measuring socio-economic impact and value, to help Programme Managers to set
priorities and to allocate resources most efficiently.
the Mechanical Equipment Catalogue and Database Project, requested by
the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and funded by Germany,
establishes and maintains a comprehensive catalogue on mechanical demining
equipment. A first edition of the new catalogue was distributed in January 2002.
A next edition will be available in early 2003, and a catalogue on hand-held
mine detectors will be developed in 2002 as well.
the Mine Awareness Education Media and Messages Study examines the
various types of media and instructional processes in use for mine awareness
education. This study was commissioned and funded by the United
States.
In addition, the GICHD currently has more than a dozen other
research projects and studies underway. These include
the Mine Detection Dog Programme, a set of a dozen studies analysing
existing problems related with mine detection dogs to increase their safety,
efficiency, predictability and accuracy at field level. This programme is funded
by Germany, Norway, Sweden, the UK, the USA, and the UN Trust
Fund.
• the Mechanical Equipment Study, which aims to
establish the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of mechanical demining
equipment. The study has been agreed by UNMAS and is funded by Norway, Sweden
and the UK.
• the Use of Military Organisations in Humanitarian Mine Action
Projects Study examining the practicability of using military organisations,
both international and local, for all forms of humanitarian mine action. This
study is funded by the UK.
OPERATIONAL ASSISTANCE
The Centre’s second core mission consists in
providing specific operational support and assistance to on-going or emerging
mine action activities and programmes mainly run by the UN.
In this context, the GICHD develops and disseminates – in co-operation
with UNMAS and other users – the Information Management System for Mine
Action (IMSMA). IMSMA consists of a ready-to-use tool covering the data
collection and information management needs of mine action programmes in the
field. As of April 2002, IMSMA was in use in 26 field programmes. Additional
versions are running at various training sites including locations in France,
Switzerland, the UK, and the US.
On behalf of UN, the Centre developed the International Standards for Mine
Action (IMAS). The IMAS project provides practitioners and donors with an
almost comprehensive framework of technical and procedural prescriptions for
safe and effective mine action. The UN Mine Action Inter-agency Working Group
endorsed a first set of 23 IMAS on 1 October 2001. In addition, an Outreach
programme was started in spring 2001 to facilitate and support the
implementation of IMAS.
The GICHD also develops and distributes the Technical Notes for Mine
Action (TNMA) and the TRITON Reports. The TNMAs providefield
managers with principles, advice and information relevant to a specific IMAS or
other technical subjects. The TRITON Reports are a system for warning managers,
deminers and EOD operators. They contain information on cases where munitions
(especially improvised devices and booby traps) have been used in non-war
situations. These reports also cover incidents where recovered UXO and mines
have been used in association with sophisticated or unique initiation systems,
etc.
The Centre also offers its services to Governments and interested
organisations to evaluate and assess actual projects and programmes, or
components of such programmes. The Centre follows an impartial, independent and
transparent methodology, and staff involved in such missions work in an as open
and transparent a way as allowed by the framework set by the relevant
organisations and programmes.
Finally, the Centre – on behalf of UNMAS – organised the fifth
International Meeting of Mine Action Programme Directors and Advisors in
February 2002.This conference unites representatives of mine affected
countries, UN agencies, the World Bank, NGOs, donors and observers and provides
a unique forum for discussion of actual problems at field level, for contacts
between headquarters and the field, and for an exchange of views, perspectives,
strategies, etc. In addition, the conference offers a special opportunity for
contacts between donor governments and field representatives.
SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MBC
The GICHD supportstheimplementation of the Mine Ban Convention (MBC)by - inter alia -
hosting the meetings of the Standing Committees within the intersessional work
programme of the MBC. These meetings bring together representatives of States
Parties, non-States Parties, international organisations, NGOs and other experts
in order to ensure effective implementation and to report to the States Parties.
The Centre also provides technical input to theses activities, mainly in the
areas of mine clearance, victims assistance, stockpile destruction and
technology.
At their Third Meeting in Managua, the States Parties to the MBC endorsed the
“Paper on the Implementation Support for the Convention on the Prohibition
of Anti-Personnel Mines”. It foresees the following services to be
provided by the GICHD in support of the MBC:
a. Preparing and supporting meetings of the Standing Committees and the
Co-ordinating Committee, including writing summaries and facilitating follow-up
activity;
b. Providing independent professional advice and assistance to the
Co-ordinating Committee;
c. Establishing a documentation and resource database facility on the Ottawa
Process, Oslo Diplomatic Conference, Meetings of States Parties, etc.
The States Parties mandated the GICHD to establish an Implementation Support
Unit (ISU) to take care of issues related to the MBC. This unit became
operational in January 2002.
During the reporting period, the Centre also administered three sponsorship
programmes on behalf of a Group of Donors. These programmes allowed a total of
175 delegates from 49 different countries to participate at the Third Meeting of
States Parties as well as at the intersessional meetings of the Standing
Committees in May 2001 and January 2002.
STAFFING
The Centre currently consists of 26 permanent
staff members, including five persons seconded by the Governments of France,
Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. In total, eleven nationalities are
represented at the Centre (including staff members having more than one
citizenship): Switzerland (11 persons), UK (5), France (2), Canada, Columbia,
Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the US.
POINT OF CONTACT
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian
Demining 7bis, avenue de la Paix P.O. Box 1300
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