by Our Diplomatic Affairs Editor
Long after battles stop and front lines disappear, anti-personnel mines continue to shape the lives of communities living on contaminated land. A new report presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council has documented how these hidden explosives remain a persistent threat to human rights, affecting everything from the right to life and health to education, food security, housing and economic development.
The report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights examines the wide-ranging consequences of anti-personnel mines and concludes that their effects extend far beyond the immediate injuries caused by explosions. It describes mine contamination as a continuing humanitarian, human rights and development challenge, with consequences that can persist for decades after armed conflicts have ended.
At least 58 states and territories remain contaminated by anti-personnel mines, according to figures cited in the report. In many affected areas, contamination is combined with other explosive remnants of war, making the scale of the danger difficult to determine. Mines are deliberately concealed and designed to remain dangerous long after they are placed. Even trained deminers using specialized equipment face significant risks when attempting to locate and remove them.
The report notes that identifying contaminated areas is complicated by incomplete records, inaccessible terrain, political instability and the growing use of improvised explosive devices by armed groups and criminal organizations. Natural events such as floods, earthquakes and changes in land formations can also shift the location of mines, creating additional dangers for civilians and clearance teams.
The continuing presence of these weapons means that communities often face risks long after fighting has ended. Some states that had previously declared themselves free of anti-personnel mines later discovered new contamination, demonstrating the lasting uncertainty created by buried explosives.
The report’s findings highlight the devastating impact of anti-personnel mines on the right to life. Because these weapons are triggered by human contact or proximity, they often strike civilians carrying out ordinary daily activities. The report describes a case in which a person searching for his family’s cattle in a meadow was killed by a mine. When villagers went looking for him, additional people were injured by hidden explosives while attempting to help.
The scale of casualties remains significant. Data cited from the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor records 165,724 casualties from incidents involving explosive devices between 1999 and 2024. The figures include 47,904 deaths, 113,595 injuries and thousands of cases where survival outcomes were unknown.
In 2024 alone, at least 6,279 casualties were recorded from landmines and explosive remnants of war, including 1,945 deaths and 4,325 injuries. The report identifies Myanmar, the Syrian Arab Republic and Afghanistan as the countries with the highest recorded casualty numbers that year, followed by Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen and Burkina Faso.
Civilians remain the main victims. Among cases where the status of victims was known, civilians accounted for around 90 percent of casualties in 2024. Children are particularly affected, representing more than 40 percent of civilian casualties recorded between 1999 and 2024.
The report explains that children face heightened risks because of their smaller size, natural curiosity and greater likelihood of encountering dangerous objects while playing or exploring. Their injuries are often more severe, and younger victims have lower chances of survival following mine explosions.
For survivors, the consequences frequently continue throughout their lives. Anti-personnel mine injuries commonly include traumatic amputations, fragment wounds, blindness and hearing loss. Many survivors require emergency treatment, multiple surgeries, rehabilitation and long-term medical support.
The report highlights the particular challenges faced by children who survive mine explosions. A child who loses a lower limb at the age of 10 may require numerous prosthetic replacements throughout life because of physical growth. Beyond physical injuries, survivors often experience psychological trauma, including increased risks of post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.
The social and economic consequences of mine injuries can be equally severe. Survivors may face increased healthcare expenses, difficulties accessing employment and barriers to participating fully in public life. In communities where injured individuals were family breadwinners, mine accidents can create additional financial and emotional hardship for entire households.
The report also draws attention to the different experiences of women and girls affected by mines. Although men and boys represent the majority of casualties, women survivors can face additional obstacles, including difficulties obtaining healthcare and increased social stigma. In some communities, women also carry greater responsibilities as caregivers for relatives injured by mines.
Beyond direct injuries, anti-personnel mines affect human rights by restricting access to land and essential services. Contaminated roads and pathways can prevent people from reaching healthcare facilities, schools and humanitarian assistance. Fear of mines can remain even in areas where contamination has not been fully confirmed, limiting movement and restricting everyday activities.
The consequences are especially severe in rural areas, where communities depend on land for survival. Mines are frequently located in agricultural fields, grazing areas and forests used for collecting resources. Farmers, herders and rural workers may be forced to enter contaminated areas because they have limited alternatives for meeting basic needs.
The report notes that mine contamination has affected food security by preventing access to productive land, causing loss of livestock and reducing agricultural activity. In Angola, research identified links between landmine contamination and child malnutrition. In other regions, communities have abandoned agricultural areas for years because of fears associated with hidden explosives.
The impact on education has also been significant. Mines can block routes to schools or be located near educational facilities, limiting children’s ability to attend classes safely. The report notes examples from countries including Colombia and Yemen where mine contamination has affected access to education.
Cultural and religious rights can also be affected. The report describes how contamination near places of worship and cultural heritage sites has prevented communities from accessing important locations. Indigenous Peoples and minority communities may face particular challenges when mines restrict access to traditional lands and territories connected to their cultural practices and livelihoods.
Environmental damage is another concern identified in the report. Mine explosions can degrade soil, contaminate groundwater and harm wildlife, including protected and endangered species. Restricted access caused by contamination can also place additional pressure on fragile ecosystems as communities seek alternative areas for farming, grazing and settlement.
The report links mine contamination directly to delays in economic recovery and reconstruction. Areas affected by explosive remnants of war can experience reduced economic activity, blocked transportation networks and limited opportunities for development. While the cost of placing mines is relatively low, removing them requires extensive financial and technical resources.
In Ukraine, the report cites estimates that explosive ordnance contamination has affected large areas of agricultural land, with approximately 10 percent of the world’s most fertile agricultural land rendered unusable. The World Bank estimated the cost of clearing explosive ordnance across Ukraine at $37.6 billion.
The United Nations assessment also highlights concerns over declining resources for mine action. Funding for clearance, risk education and survivor assistance has become increasingly uncertain, with contributions to the voluntary trust fund for assistance in mine action falling from $125 million to $46 million over seven years.
Despite progress made through international agreements, the report notes continuing challenges. Millions of anti-personnel mines are believed to remain in stockpiles, and some states and armed groups continue to use them. The report also highlights concerns related to withdrawals by several states from the Ottawa Convention, which aims to eliminate anti-personnel mines.
The High Commissioner calls for continued efforts to prevent the use, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines, strengthen mine-clearance operations, support survivors and ensure affected communities participate in decisions about mine action.
As contaminated land remains a danger across dozens of countries, the report emphasizes that the effects of anti-personnel mines continue to reach far beyond the moment of detonation, shaping lives, communities and development long after conflicts have ended.
