Ben Keith to discuss Landmines and International Law at the United Nations

On 28th March 2024, Ben Keith will be speaking at a side event during the 55th Human Rights Council in Geneva.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty.

While there have been steps towards a mine-free world, we are still far from that goal and mines continue to be legacies of conflicts. The impact on civilian communities’ economic, social, and cultural rights is significant and long-lasting.

The event titled: ‘Engaging the UN human rights system in driving progress towards a mine-free world’ will bring together State representatives from different countries, in particular, Azerbaijan, Vietnam, Senegal, and Croatia, who will share their countries’ experiences and challenges in dealing with the presence of mines in their territories and conducting demining operations. The event will also discuss the needs of civil society in the context of mine action and demining operations and hear the testimonies of survivors and those most affected by mines, which are children and women. The event aims to stress the necessity of kickstarting joint action at the Human Rights Council level to address the human rights impacts of landmines and Explosive Remnants of War, within the longer-term goal of engaging the wider human rights system in increased action to drive progress towards a mine-free world through a rights-based policy and rights-informed action on landmines.

Photo: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre