Introduction
The present report, covering the period from August 2013 to July 2015, is submitted pursuant to General Assembly resolution 68/72, in which the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of that resolution, including on relevant United Nations policies and activities.
The report describes the activities and achievements of the 12 United Nations entities comprising the Inter-Agency Coordination Group on Mine Action, which is chaired by the United Nations Mine Action Service. United Nations mine action entities have shown themselves to be agile and adaptable, and they remain an essential element in humanitarian mine action response and development initiatives.
Globally, as many as 7.9 million people live in close proximity to areas contaminated with mines and/or explosive remnants of war, and an additional 4.7 million people are at risk as a result of seasonal migration through corridors affected by mines and/or explosive remnants of war. It is encouraging to note that the number of victims of anti-personnel landmines has declined by about two thirds (67 per cent) from a peak in 2005. However, there has been no decline in the number of casualties related to explosive remnants of war, and the percentage of civilian victims who are children continues to rise. The World Bank reports that countries affected by mines are predominantly middle and low income, and that many are currently experiencing violent conflict. The United Nations has a mine action presence in 85 per cent of countries and territories classified as “heavily” or “very heavily” contaminated.