Landmines and Land Rights in Conflict Affected Contexts

This policy brief1 describes the important linkages
between land rights and landmines in conflict-affected
contexts. Its purpose is to deepen awareness within
the broader mine action and development communities
about these linkages, and provide guidance on
how to effectively mainstream land rights2 issues into
mine action operations.
Land rights in conflict-affected situations are a topic
of increasing concern for the humanitarian and
development community. The recovery of households,
communities and countries following war depend to
a large degree on re-establishing clear rights over
land resources which are the basis of livelihoods.
The land rights situation becomes particularly critical
in mine-affected countries, where land access can
be denied for years or decades. Mine action organisations
(i.e. National Mine Action Authorities, National
Mine Action Centres, mine/ERW operators
and mine action donors) typically avoid land rights
issues in their activities, due to considerations of
neutrality, mandate, complexity, awareness and
political sensitivity. However the decision to survey 3
and clear (or not) particular areas inevitably involves
land rights issues.
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