It documents 6,279 victims in 2024. Children remain particularly vulnerable, particularly in conflict-affected countries where displaced families return to heavily contaminated areas.
“Civilians accounted for 90 percent of casualties in 2024,” said Loren Persi, impact team lead for the report. “And children still made up a significant portion of all casualties, almost half… In Afghanistan, 77 percent, or more than three-quarters of all casualties, were children, which is horrific.”
The launch was led by the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and organized by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR).
States withdrawing from the treaty
The report warns that THE Mine Ban Treaty of 1997 faces the most serious challenge in decadesseveral state parties taking actions that “concretely threaten the continued health of the convention,” said Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan, editor-in-chief of Ban Policy.
Five European States Parties – Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland – are considering legally withdrawing, citing the significantly changed security conditions following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Regarding Ukraine itself, Mr. Moser-Puangsuwan noted that the government claims it can “suspend” certain treaty obligations while fighting an international armed conflict – a position the Observatory disputes based on the treaty’s legal framework.
The report also cites indications that new Ukrainian mines would be used in 2024-2025, including devices apparently deployed by drones, although the scale remains unclear.
The Observatory confirms intensive use of mines by Burma and the Russian Federationand reports allegations of use by Cambodian forces along the Thai border. Thailand has presented evidence of recently laid mines injuring its soldiers.
An unexploded bomb is on display in Syria’s Raqqa governorate.
Spread of contamination
Antipersonnel mine contamination affects at least 57 States and other regions, including 32 States Parties. Seven remain “massively” contaminated: Afghanistan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Turkey and Ukraine.
There has been some progress. Oman completed mine clearance in 2025, the first state party to do so since 2020, and more than half of affected state parties reduced contamination through survey and clearance efforts last year.
But the whole situation is troubling.
“Despite overall positive progress, the ambitious goal of completing mine clearance by 2025 remains far from being achieved,” said lead researcher Katrin Atkins.
“The vision of a mine-free world has not been matched by adequate resources and efforts on the ground.. 2030 seems to be the new 2025.”
Funding crisis
The growing funding gap is already undermining mine action programs.
Ruth Bottomley, head of mine action finance research at the Monitor, said heavy reliance on a few major donors – particularly the United States – had left the sector vulnerable.
“In 2025, the United States imposed a sector-wide funding freeze,” she said. “This blocked some mine action programs and terminated others…highlighting the vulnerability of mine action funding and its dependence on a few major donors.” »
Programs in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Colombia, Tajikistan and Zimbabwe have already closed. Help for victims has been particularly hard hit, with a decline in international support 23 percent. Health systems weakened by conflicts in countries like Ukraine And Palestine are struggling with a sharp increase in amputations.
Call for renewed commitment
Presenters warned that without greater funding, political will and compliance with standards, mine contamination will increase faster than humanitarian organizations can respond, putting millions of people at risk for decades.
We acknowledge The European Times for the information.
