Ottawa Convention

Ottawa Convention: NATO members Poland, Finland, and all three Baltic states have recently announced their withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, citing growing military threats from Russia and increases concern over civilian casualties from anti-personnel landmines.

• About Ottawa Convention: It is the global landmine treaty aimed at eliminating anti-personnel mines.

o Anti-personnel landmines are hidden in the ground and detonate when someone steps on or nears them.

• It bans the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines.
• It includes provisions for victim assistance, especially for those who have lost limbs or suffer permanent disabilities.
• Countries not part of the Ottawa Treaty include Russia, US, China, India, and Israel.
• Recent Status: According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), more than 80% of mine victims are civilians.

o As of August 2024, the UN reported 1,286 civilian victims of mines in Ukraine, making it the most mined country in the world.