Jordan

Mine Ban Policy

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 11 August 1998 and ratified it on 13 November 1998, becoming a State Party on 1 May 1999.

On 1 April 2008, Jordan enacted the National Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Law, which incorporates the treaty into Jordan’s domestic law, and includes penal sanctions.^[1] The law bans the use, import, export, transfer, trade, production, development, possession, sale, purchase, or acquisition of antipersonnel mines, and also bans assisting, encouraging, or inducing these prohibited activities.^[2] It addresses possible application of Mine Ban Treaty Article 8 compliance procedures. Penal sanctions include temporary hard labor and/or a fine of no less than JOD1,000 and no more than JOD10,000 (approximately US$1,400 to $14,000). Penal sanctions apply equally to violators of the law, and anyone assisting activity prohibited by the law.^[3] The law also endorses the National Committee for Demining and Rehabilitation (NCDR) as the lead mine action coordinating and supervising agency in Jordan.^[4]

In presenting the law to States Parties in June 2008, Jordan said, “We hope that our experience with our national legislation will be a good example for other countries to draw upon, and that it will provide additional opportunities to increase awareness on the mine ban convention regionally as well as on a national scale.”^[5]

Jordan submitted its eleventh Article 7 report, dated 20 March 2008, covering the period from 30 April 2007 to 20 March 2008.^[6]

Jordan served as host of the Eighth Meeting of States Parties from 18–22 November 2007. This was the first meeting of States Parties held in the Middle East, which is also the region in the world with the lowest adherence to the Mine Ban Treaty. Jordan’s Prince Mired Raad Zeid Al-Hussein, Chair of the Board of the NCDR, was elected President of the meeting. In his opening statement, Prince Mired said the meeting served as an opportunity “to increase interest in the Convention in this region” and to “catalyze further acceptance of the Convention by States in this region.” He noted that “in recent months Iraq and Kuwait have agreed to join” the treaty. Prince Mired also stressed the importance of focusing on devising practical solutions to overcome the challenges of implementing the provisions of the treaty.^[7]

The Eighth Meeting of States Parties produced the Dead Sea Progress Report, which not only recorded the accomplishments of the previous year, but also laid out priorities for the coming year.^[8]

Prince Mired and Jordan will serve as President of the Eighth Meeting of States Parties until the Ninth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva in November 2008. The presidency is a key position with multiple responsibilities for ensuring effective operation of the treaty, including chairing the treaty’s Coordination Committee (which includes all of the Standing Committee co-chairs and co-rapporteurs).

At the Eighth Meeting of States Parties, Jordan made statements on mine clearance, mobilization of resources for mine action, mines retained for research and training, and the status of its national implementation legislation. At the intersessional Standing Committee meetings in June 2008, Jordan made interventions on mines retained for training, mine clearance, victim assistance, and its national legislation. The NCDR also presented a case study concerning investment in mine action during the side events to the meetings. In his role as President, Prince Mired presented an overview of the general status and operation of the convention.^[9] He made numerous other interventions, including on Article 5 extension requests, and on his efforts to clarify allegations in a UN report regarding shipments of mines to Somalia from Eritrea and Ethiopia.^[10]

Jordan has only rarely engaged in the discussions that States Parties have had on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1 and 2, regarding the issues of joint military operations with states not party to the treaty, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, and antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices.

Jordan is party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and its Amended Protocol II on landmines. It did not attend the Ninth Annual Conference of States Parties to the protocol in November 2007, and has not submitted its annual report as required under Article 13. Jordan is not yet party to CCW Protocol V on explosive remnants of war. It did not attend the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions in May 2008.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling, and Destruction

Jordan never produced or exported antipersonnel mines and last used them in 1978. It completed the destruction of its stockpile of 92,342 antipersonnel mines in April 2003. It included Claymore mines in its stockpile destruction.

Until 2007, Jordan consistently reported that it retained 1,000 mines for training and research purposes; it had not consumed any of these retained mines since it first reported in August 1999.^[11] In November 2007, Jordan reported the number of retained mines had dropped from 1,000 to 850 and it expected “this number to drop by a further 150 mines in 2008 as we begin the training of local deminers in preparation for work on our northern border mine clearance project.”^[12]

However, in its latest Article 7 report, Jordan reported retaining 950 mines, and indicated that 50 mines (40 M14 and 10 M35) had been consumed during mine detection training.^[13] The consumption of 50 mines was also reported in a letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated 11 March 2008,^[14] and in a statement Jordan made during the June 2008 intersessional Standing Committee meetings. In June, Jordan reported that Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) used the mines to train four new mine detection dog (MDD) teams in the south for the Wadi Araba project and in the north for the Northern Border project. It also said, “Jordan may continue to use mines retained under Article 3 in the future, for the purpose of training in mine detection, mine clearance or destruction techniques and further training.”^[15]

Landmine/ERW Problem

Jordan is contaminated by antipersonnel and antivehicle mines as well as explosive remnants of war (ERW). The contamination results from the 1948 partition of Palestine, the 1967–1969 Arab-Israeli conflict, the 1970 civil war, and the 1975 confrontation with Syria.

A Landmine Retrofit Survey (LRS) completed in September 2007 concluded that 10.5km² of suspected mined areas remained,^[16] an increase from the 2007 estimate of 9km² based on Royal Engineers Corps (REC) records. By April 2008, the remaining mine contamination was concentrated in well-defined and mapped military minefields along the border between Jordan and Syria.^[17]

The LRS found that 34 communities with a total population of 63,000 claimed to be affected by mines, 17 of them in northern Mafraq governorate. Six communities were in the Jordan Valley, which has since been cleared of mines.^[18] Mined areas exacerbated already acute shortages of land and denied access to agricultural land and pasture.^[19] Access to water was also blocked, especially in the northeast.^[20]

The LRS revealed that most incidents were due to mines that had migrated out of the marked areas, but some casualties resulted from people entering minefields deliberately because they needed agricultural and grazing land and water. Smugglers also passed through the minefields.^[21]

ERW contamination, mostly from the 1970 civil war, is concentrated around Ajloun and North Shunah in the Jordan Valley, particularly near former Palestine Liberation Organization bases, where munitions were hidden in caves and buried underground. ERW are said to pose a greater risk than mines, causing a greater number of incidents.^[22] The full extent of contamination has not been quantified.

Jordan has also had to deal with ERW that entered from Iraq through the scrap metal trade. Under a plan drawn up by the NCDR and various government ministries and departments, army engineers have been positioned at the border to check scrap metal entering the country for unexploded ordnance (UXO), and ex-military personnel have been contracted to work at factories inspecting the scrap metal. The Jordanian government has a plan to establish a central market for all scrap metal, which can then be regulated.^[23]

Mine Action Program

Coordination and management

Jordan established the NCDR under Law No. 34, passed in 2000, and an April 2002 royal decree, which appointed its board of directors. It includes representatives of the Jordanian Armed Forces, the government, NGOs, landmine survivors, and the media. It became fully operational in 2004 when Prince Mired Raad Zeid al-Hussein, a cousin of King Abdullah, became the NCDR’s chair, and after a UN Development Programme (UNDP) technical advisor had joined the staff.^[24] UNDP will fund the position until July 2009.^[25]

The NCDR was established as “the primary national mine action authority” responsible for preparing and overseeing implementation of a national mine action plan, including mine clearance, mine/ERW risk education (RE), and victim assistance (VA), and ensuring that mine action is integrated into the country’s wider development strategies. It is also responsible for coordinating, accrediting, and regulating all organizations involved in mine action as well as for resource mobilization.^[26]

The NCDR also conducts quality management of demining operations and in 2007 increased its quality management staff to 18 to cope with the increased level of clearance.^[27] The NCDR, with funding from Sweden, planned to recruit two technical advisors in the second half of 2008 for, respectively, VA and operations, with a view to further strengthening its quality management capacity.^[28]

The NCDR manages data using the latest version of the Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA). Data from the LRS was being entered into the IMSMA database as of March 2008.^[29]

New mine action standards based on international standards were produced for Jordan in 2006.^[30]

Strategic mine action planning

The Jordan National Mine Action Plan 2005–2009 was under revision by the NCDR as of July 2008 to take account of data gathered in the LRS.^[31]

A workplan included in Jordan’s Article 5 deadline extension request breaks down clearance of minefields along 104km of Jordan’s border with Syria into three main tasks:

• the East sector, comprising 54km of border, with 39 mined areas covering 5.5km²;
• the North East sector, along 31km of border, comprising 26 mined areas covering 2.96km²; and
• the North West sector, along 19km of border, with 28 mined areas covering 1.85km².

It was planned to conduct a technical survey in the East sector beginning in November 2007, which would continue in the other sectors ahead of clearance operations. Detailed timelines indicated that clearance of the East sector would continue until January 2010; clearance of the North East sector from November 2009 until September 2010; and clearance of the North West sector from September 2010 until November 2011.^[32] The North West sector includes border areas disputed by Syria and was left to the end in the hope that a joint border committee set up to resolve the dispute would complete its work in time for the start of clearance operations.^[33]

The workplan envisaged NPA would have a total of 232 field-based staff operational by October 2008. NPA would conduct site verification using MDDs and machines. The NCDR would manage and provide quality management for the project. The workplan also includes construction of a three-tiered border security system along the border with Syria, comprising a fence, trench, and watch towers to provide security instead of the border minefields. The armed forces designed the system and are responsible for its construction and funding.^[34]

Jordan’s National Mine Action Plan did not include clearance of ERW. Funding has been secured from NATO to conduct an ERW survey, which was due be implemented directly by the NCDR (see below).^[35]

Integration of mine action with reconstruction and development

The NCDR prepared the National Mine Action Plan in consultation with the government, civil society, mine-affected communities and the private sector, and taking into account the goals of the government’s Social Economic Transformation Plan and Millennium Development Goals.^[36] The LRS identified six commercial and industrial projects affected by mines and ERW in the north that would be given priority in clearance operations.^[37]

In 2007, demining supported the Ayla tourism project in Aqaba and the al-Wehdeh dam in the Yarmouk river. Demining will also be conducted to permit construction of a gas pipeline between Syria and Jordan. The completion of demining between Aqaba and the Dead Sea will enable the building of a JOD3,567,300,000 ($5 billion) water pipeline project to provide electricity and potable water to Israel, Jordan, and the Palestine Authority, as well as water to replenish the rapidly depleting Dead Sea.^[38]

Demining

Jordan has military and international NGO demining capacity. Until 2006, the armed forces’ REC was responsible for clearance, but it lacked funding and capacity to meet Jordan’s Article 5 deadline of May 2009 and the NCDR reached an agreement with NPA in 2006 to provide additional demining capacity. Reports of explosive ordnance sightings are usually provided by the general public to the army, which conducts spot clearance.^[39]

Identifying hazardous areas

The phase 1 desk study for the 2007 LRS, conducted by the NCDR with the support of NPA, gave an initial estimate of the landmine problem of 34.5km². After technical assessment, safe areas were cancelled, leaving an estimated 10.5km² of land that needed clearance.^[40] This provided the basis for developing a “logical mine clearance prioritization process based on poverty reduction criteria,” and for monitoring progress in fulfilling strategic mine action objectives. NPA undertook quality management of the survey.^[41]

The NCDR planned to conduct an ERW survey covering the whole of Jordan, starting in August 2008 and lasting 18 months, with funding from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).^[42]

Marking and fencing of affected areas

By April 2008, most of Jordan’s remaining minefields were in the north along the border with Syria. They are fenced and marked, although the marking is widely spaced out and not always obvious according to LRS findings. The area is heavily guarded but smugglers do go through.^[43]

Mine/ERW clearance in 2007 and 2008

In 2007, the REC continued to deploy three manual teams and their supporting mechanical assets on three minefields in the Jordan Valley that it had started to clear in August 2006. The REC completed clearance of the minefields in July 2008.^[44]

NPA deployed three manual demining teams in addition to a technical survey team and a site preparation team; a “mini” Minewolf; and MDDs brought from Bosnia and Herzegovina for use in site verification.^[45] NPA used a raking technique for clearance which it found effective and quick in the prevailing conditions.^[46]

In November 2007, NPA completed clearance of minefields in Wadi Araba and Aqaba, stretching along Jordan’s southern border with Israel from the Dead Sea down to the Red Sea. Some 50,000 mines were destroyed during the demining operations. NPA had completed mechanical and MDD verification of the area by the end of May 2008. NPA started technical survey of the northern border in early 2008, in preparation for clearance which began on 1 June 2008. By end July, they had cleared 2,000 mines.^[47]

Demining in 2007^[48]

The NCDR handed over all the cleared area between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, including Aqaba, to public and private sector owners in a ceremony on 5 August 2008.^[49]

Summary of Efforts to Comply with Article 5

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Jordan is required to clear all antipersonnel mines in areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 May 2009. However, in March 2008, Jordan acknowledged it would not be able to meet the deadline and submitted a request for an extension until 1 May 2012.^[50] The request, however, presents a workplan that breaks clearance of the border into three tasks due for completion in November 2011.^[51]

In its critique of Jordan’s extension request, the ICBL stated that: “Earlier action to mobilize additional demining capacity and international financial support could have avoided the need for an extension. However, Jordan’s request shows clear determination to fulfill its obligations, comprehensive and detailed planning for clearance of the remaining mine hazard, and mobilization of the necessary demining and financial resources needed to implement these plans in the time stipulated.”^[52]

However, the request also states part of the border is disputed by Syria and, although the two countries have set up a joint border commission to resolve the issue, Jordan cannot guarantee the dispute will be over by the time clearance is due to start. It also states that demining the border “could not be considered as a separate project but rather had to be viewed in conjunction with the emplacement of an alternative security system,” though the ICBL pointed out that delays for such reasons are not permissible under the treaty.^[53]

Landmine/ERW Casualties

In 2007, the NCDR recorded at least 10 new mine/ERW casualties, including four people killed and six injured. One of the casualties was a deminer and the others were civilian. Half of the casualties were children (four boys and one girl, all under 16), three were men, and two were women. One casualty was caused by a mine; the remainder were due to ERW. Casualties were recorded in Irbid (three); Mafraq, Zarqa and Amman (two each), and Al Karak (one). The activity at the time of the incident was not recorded, but one of the casualties was a shepherd.^[54]

The NCDR revised its mine/ERW casualty data for 2006 downwards to nine (one killed and eight injured) after verification home visits. Five casualties were men, one was a boy and three were women. All but one casualty were caused by ERW, particularly during scrap metal collection (four). Casualties occurred in Mafraq (five), Jerash (two), and Amman and Irbid (one each).^[55] Previously, the NCDR had reported 16 casualties for 2006.^[56] It is acknowledged that some casualties might still go unreported.^[57]

In 2008, casualties continued to be reported at an increased rate, with at least 13 new mine/ERW casualties (three people killed and 10 injured) to 29 June. One casualty was a deminer, seven were boys, three were men and two were girls. Eight casualties were caused by ERW and five by unknown mines. Casualties occurred mainly in Mafraq (six), Irbid, Zarqa and Karak (two each), and Amman (one).^[58]

The main casualty groups are men of working age, often the sole income-earners for the family, and boys. Although activities at the time of the incident were not systematically recorded, Jordan reported that incidents involving civilians usually happened during livelihood activities, such as farming or tending animals.^[59]

Data collection

The 2007 LRS significantly improved information on mine/ERW casualties as information existing in numerous different databases was consolidated.^[60] Verification of data was still ongoing as of June 2008.^[61] In 2007, the NCDR developed a new “victim” definition and a standard data collection form.^[62] RE trainers received basic training in data collection and informed the NCDR about new cases, but reportedly without using the new form.^[63] The NCDR and the Landmine Survivors Network (LSN) contact survivors and families of people killed by mines or ERW individually to fill gaps in data collection.^[64] Information is inserted into IMSMA.^[65]

The NCDR believes that the data collected is accurate, although it had concerns that some casualties do not want to be registered.^[66] Some gaps remained in the data provided to Landmine Monitor, such as activity at the time of the incident, the exact incident date (only the year was provided), and detailed device type information as only two categories appear to be used (landmines and UXO).^[67]

The total number of mine/ERW casualties in Jordan remains unknown. The NCDR recorded 755 casualties occurring between 1948 and 2007 (115 people killed and 640 injured). Within this total 95 casualties were registered along the northern border (with Syria) in Mafraq.^[68] However, it is believed that there could be up to 1,000 casualties.^[69] The total number of survivors remained unknown as field visits to identify survivors were ongoing.^[70]

The total number of persons with disabilities is unknown; the 2004 national census recorded 62,000 persons with disabilities. In March 2008, a new disability survey was started and 25,000 persons with disabilities were recorded in 11 governorates.^[71] The Higher Council for the Affairs of Persons with Disability (HCAPD) believes that this number is an underestimate and that 3% of the population is disabled (some 180,000 people).^[72] As persons with disabilities are often hidden by their families, the government encouraged people to register by providing incentives to individuals and institutions.^[73]

Landmine/ERW Risk Education

In 2007, mine/ERW RE activities focused on 14 affected communities, and particularly on men and boys in Mafraq governorate. It was planned to reach 17 communities in 2007, but the remaining three were covered in early 2008.^[74] Six national agencies—the NCDR, the Jordanian Red Crescent Society (JRCS), LSN, the REC, Civil Defense, and the Hashemite Commission for Disabled Soldiers (HCDS)—provided RE to around 16,000 direct beneficiaries (at least 6,500 men, 6,000 children and 3,500 women were reached). Jordan also reported that it aimed to target an estimated 75,000 people through indirect RE (exhibitions, public information dissemination, and house visits).^[75] This represents a significant increase compared to 2006 when 7,753 people were reached, particularly among the major risk groups (4,146 boys and men reached in 2006).^[76] This increase was partly due to the improved funding situation.^[77]

Strategic framework and capacity

The NCDR is responsible for coordination and monitoring of RE.^[78] In Jordan’s National Mine Action Plan 2005–2009 one of the outputs of the RE pillar was to develop a “national mine risk education strategy and plan.”^[79] A Strategic Framework for Mine Risk Education in Jordan 2006–2009 and an Action Plan for Mine Risk Education in Jordan, 1 April 2006 to 1 April 2007, were adopted,^[80] but the plan was not implemented due to a lack of funds.^[81]

A new two-phased action plan was developed in line with the 2006 LRS findings and the 2005 RE needs assessment.^[82] The first phase, from April 2007 to May 2008, aimed to reach 17 highly-affected communities in Mafraq governorate through public education and community liaison activities. The second phase, from June 2008 to December 2009, aims to conduct RE in 16 affected communities where clearance operations are ongoing.^[83] With UNICEF support, the NCDR hired an RE consultant.^[84]

In 2007, RE providers started using standardized materials and approaches based on national standards, a curriculum, an RE guide, and standing operating procedures. Coordination was improved through, among others, monthly meetings. The NCDR has an RE quality management officer who monitors implementation of the standards by the RE operators. IMSMA is used to record RE activities. In 2007, there were eight RE trainers at the six implementing organizations.^[85] The JRCS continued to receive support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its activities in two governorates. The ICRC also contributed to the development of the RE curriculum and standards.^[86]

During phase II of the RE plan, an evaluation workshop will be held to assess progress.^[87] In its Article 7 report, Jordan provided generic information on RE activities (exhibitions, lectures and distribution of brochures) and on casualty data collection, as in previous years. It also mentioned it would start preparations for awareness-raising in print and audiovisual media.^[88]

Victim Assistance

At the Eighth Meeting of States Parties in November 2007, Jordan declared its responsibility for significant numbers of survivors.^[89] At the Standing Committee meetings in June 2008, Jordan was formally included in the group of, until then 24, states with significant numbers of mine survivors^[90] and “the greatest responsibility to act, but also the greatest needs and expectations for assistance” in providing adequate assistance for the care, rehabilitation and reintegration of survivors.^[91] Jordan added that although the total number of casualties “may not compare highly on a global scale, it is significant when measured against the size of the population.”^[92]

Jordan is active in providing services to mine/ERW survivors and persons with disabilities in general. However, it acknowledged that they are among the most disadvantaged groups in society, struggling with “social neglect, depression, poverty and ignorance.”^[93]

Mine/ERW survivors are treated within the general health system, which is reasonably well-developed.^[94] Services are provided by the Ministry of Health, the Royal Medical Services (RMS), the private sector, NGOs, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (for refugees in Jordan).^[95] Emergency medical care is free of charge, but continuing medical care is not free and an obstacle for those without insurance.^[96] Medical costs for uninsured civilian mine/ERW casualties are covered by the government on a case-by-case basis. It is unknown how many landmine survivors are insured. The quality of healthcare for the military, who receive automatic insurance, is said to be better than for civilians.^[97]

The main institutions for prosthetic and rehabilitation services are al-Bashir Hospital and the King Hussein Medical Center, both located in Amman. Rehabilitation services are also available at the local level, but complex cases need to be transferred to Amman.^[98] In late 2007, the National Rehabilitation Center for Amputees (NRCA), constructed in 2005, became operational.^[99]

Psychosocial and socio-economic reintegration services are provided by NGOs and government-supported organizations; but employment opportunities remained limited. The law mandates that 4% of positions must be reserved for persons with disabilities.^[100] Financial assistance is granted to people with severe disabilities whose families earn less than JOD250 ($355) per month.^[101]

Jordan has legislation to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, which is generally enforced, although some discrimination in education was reported.^[102] In 2007, revised rights-based disability legislation entered into force.^[103] In June 2008, Jordan also reported that a National Disability Strategy had been drafted.^[104]

On 31 March 2008, Jordan ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; the Optional Protocol, which Jordan signed on 30 March 2007, had not been ratified as of 31 July 2008.

Victim assistance strategic framework

The NCDR is responsible for coordinating and monitoring VA^[105] within the framework of the National Mine Action Plan 2005–2009 which includes four VA objectives: developing and implementing comprehensive VA activities; strengthening national rehabilitation capacity; supporting socio-economic reintegration; and supporting the construction of the National Rehabilitation Center for Amputees. The key government partner is the Ministry of Social Development, which is responsible for the overall coordination and implementation of activities relating to persons with disabilities.^[106]

In 2007, the NCDR’s role in VA remained limited due to a lack of funds,^[107] but a draft action plan for VA was developed. It included six strategic outputs: developing and mainstreaming VA capacity for long-term sustainability; unifying and verifying casualty data accessible to all stakeholders; improving geographic coverage of services and information; monitoring of VA implementers; issuing “victim cards” and recording assistance provided; and ensuring assistance to all survivors under NCDR coordination.^[108] In 2008, the NCDR was seeking donor funding and implementing partners for the plan.^[109] In the second half of 2008, UNICEF planned to recruit a VA specialist for the NCDR.^[110]

As part of the so-called VA25 group, Jordan committed to the actions under the Nairobi Action Plan and tools provided by the co-chairs of the Standing Committee on Victim Assistance and Socio-Economic Reintegration, which include identifying SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) VA objectives, producing plans to achieve these objectives within a timeframe, and to report regularly on progress. It can also request “process support” from the treaty’s Implementation Support Unit.^[111] The original timeframe for the VA25 to fulfill these commitments is 2005–2009; it is unknown if this applies to Jordan. At the Standing Committee meetings in June 2008, Jordan presented on progress made in 2007–2008. No formal objectives or plans were presented.^[112]

The HCAPD was established in 2007 to: monitor the implementation of the National Disability Strategy; draft and execute policies to enhance living conditions of persons with disabilities and facilitate their integration in society; formulate a national awareness and prevention plan to prevent disability; set quality standards for programs and services offered; and adhere to the standards and objectives in international agreements/charters endorsed by Jordan.^[113]

Jordan did not make use of voluntary Form J of its latest Article 7 report to report on VA.^[114]

Assistance activities

The HCAPD reported that an average of 80,000 persons with disabilities per year receive some form of assistance from around 200 organizations (44 international organizations).^[115] In 2008, the HCAPD started a quality review of service provision and the development of accreditation procedures.^[116]

In 2007, the King Hussein Medical Center treated 350 mine/ERW survivors, mainly military and children under 16. The center can produce on average 500 prostheses and repair 700 per year.^[117] The NRCA assisted 50 persons with disabilities with prosthetic devices (including three new mine/ERW survivors). It also provided 1,065 rehabilitation sessions and 32 surgical interventions.^[118] The HCDS assisted 519 persons with disabilities with a variety of services, including 31 mine survivors and 20 ERW survivors.^[119]

In 2007, LSN provided 814 health, social empowerment and economic integration services to mine/ERW survivors. They received multiple types of assistance. In April 2007, LSN provided advocacy training to six survivors from Jordan, Sudan and Yemen. in preparation for the Eighth Meeting of States Parties. In November 2007, these six, in turn, trained 13 Jordanian survivors to conduct advocacy activities during the meeting. LSN also organized several VA-related side events at the Eighth Meeting of States Parties, including a volleyball demonstration.^[120] In 2008, a transition process was started to nationalize the LSN organization (and decrease funding from headquarters in Washington, DC), and it was renamed the Disability Rights Network.^[121]

 Other organizations providing assistance to persons with disabilities, including mine survivors, were reported in the previous edition of Landmine Monitor.^[122]

Support for Mine Action

Landmine Monitor is not aware of comprehensive long-term cost estimates for fulfilling mine action obligations in Jordan. Jordan has reported a required budget of $13 million (€9,481,438) to carry out the Northern Border project for the period 1 April 2008–1 May 2012.^[123] Jordan cited its National Mine Plan for the period of 2005–2009 as the main framework for its resource mobilization strategy, and reported that resource mobilization “improved dramatically” since the 2005 formulation of the plan.^[124] The NCDR is responsible for implementing the national mine action plan, including coordination of resource mobilization strategies.^[125]

National support for mine action

In its Article 5 deadline extension request, Jordan reported total funding for mine action of JOD60,287,370 ($84.5 million) since 1993, with government contributions accounting for some JOD37,456,650 ($52.5 million) or 62% of total funds. Annual funding in 2007 was reported in the extension request to be $3.5 million, a reduction on the amount reported for 2006 ($4.3 million). Separately, Jordan has reported providing JOD1,783,650 ($2.5 million) for the REC demining in the Jordan Valley and JOD356,730 ($500,000) for NCDR costs.^[126] No details have been provided for the remaining $500,000 of annual funding. Jordan reported that annual national funding has remained roughly stable at $3.5 million during the past 15 years.^[127]

International cooperation and assistance

In 2007, nine countries and the European Commission (EC) reported providing $11,854,763 (€8,646,170) to mine action in Jordan. Reported mine action funding in 2007 was roughly 84% more than reported in 2006. Jordan has reported that all required funds for the Northern Border project have been provided by international donors, with Australia contributing $787,287; Canada $1,276,675; EC $6,880,289; Germany $382,238; Japan $185,006; and Norway $3,576,281.^[128]

2007 International Mine Action Funding to Jordan: Monetary^[129]

2007 International Mine Action Support to Jordan: In-Kind^[130]

Jordan reported receiving $5,654,478 in international mine action funding in 2007, but did not provide a breakdown by international donor.^[131] While the total reported by Jordan varies significantly from Landmine Monitor’s reported total for the year, Jordan cited $21,494,526 in funding for the period 2004–2007, which is approximately the same as Landmine Monitor’s total for the same period ($22,099,369).^[132]