96.7 Land Mines
Whereas, Canada has unilaterally declared a moratorium on the use, production, and export of anti-personnel land mines; and,
Whereas, This moratorium gives Canada a legitimate platform from which to advocate strongly for a worldwide ban on land mines; and,
Whereas, More than 100 million anti-personnel land mines are laid around the world and indiscriminately kill or maim approximately 2,500 men, women, and children every month; and,
Whereas, Land mines impoverish communities by denying access to land and impede social and economic post-conflict reconstruction; and,
Whereas, Most third world countries are incapable of providing even minimum medical care, prosthetics, and therapy to mine victims and of providing rehabilitation and development programs for their communities; and,
Whereas, Science and technology were used to develop anti-personnel mines, which are difficult to detect and to deactivate, thus science and technology could be used to develop effective counter-technologies; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that The National Council of Women of Canada urge the Government of Canada to:
- Work diligently for an international agreement banning the use, production, stockpiling, sale, trade, and transfer of all anti-personnel land mines;
- Substantially increase Canadian contributions to programs of the UN, indigenous and other organizations, for land mine clearance;
- Increase Canadian funding and other types of assistance to humanitarian programs for the rehabilitation of land mine victims; and be it further,
RESOLVED, that The National Council of Women of Canada express to the Government of Canada its approval for Canada’s unilateral ban on the use, production, and export of anti-personnel land mines; and,
Recognizing, that ICW policy adopted at the 1994 ICW Plenary conference asks National Councils to urge their Governments to reach a binding international agreement to eliminate the production and use of land mines, be it further,
RESOLVED, that The National Council of Women of Canada request that the International Council of Women urge their member National Councils to urge their respective governments to:
- Work for an international convention, which bans the production, use, stockpiling, sale, trade, and transfer of all anti-personnel land mines;
- Support land mine clearance programs of the UN and other organizations;
- Support humanitarian programs for the rehabilitation of land mine victims.