Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action

The report critiques the traditional focus of Humanitarian Mine Action (HMA) on technical metrics—such as the number of mines removed—and advocates for a shift toward socio-economic impact assessments. Using case studies from Mozambique, the authors argue that the physical removal of mines is often insufficient to trigger positive change unless operators understand local dynamics and foster community trust. The report proposes a 'transformative reconstruction' approach where HMA is integrated into broader development goals, emphasizing that impact is maximized through strong agency-community relationships and a continuous cycle of socio-economic analysis from project planning through long-term follow-up.

• HMA operations often persist in an 'emergency-oriented fashion' long after immediate needs are met, leading to a neglect of socio-economic analysis and poor agency-community relationships.
• Current HMA priority setting is problematic because it often prioritizes operational constraints—such as funding, equipment, and political stability—over assessments of potential socio-economic impact.
• The physical removal of landmines is frequently a necessary but insufficient condition for triggering socio-economic change; other factors like economic opportunity and access to healthcare are often required for displaced people to return.
• In Mozambique, the early linking of HMA to the peace process delayed the start of demining and the establishment of national capacity, resulting in a fragmented landscape where different agencies (HALO Trust, NPA, and ADP) operate in separate zones.
• Efforts to create a central coordinating body in Mozambique have largely failed; the National Mine Clearance Commission (NMCC) was unable to lead the program and was replaced in 1999 by the National Demining Commission (NDC), which still faces financial and competence shortfalls.
• There is a significant lack of coordination between HMA and other reconstruction agencies, as well as between different HMA components, such as mine awareness and demining.
• The report proposes a 'transformative reconstruction' model where HMA aims to maximize a country's growth potential rather than simply rebuilding the pre-war state.
• The case of Capirizanje demonstrates 'delayed impact,' where a two-year gap occurred between the completion of demining and the community's use of the land due to a lack of local confidence in the clearance.
• The Nairoto case study shows that demining can have high social value—such as allowing a population to reassert ownership of an administrative center—even when the economic or accident-reduction impact is minimal.
• The Nacala case illustrates how focusing exclusively on macro-level objectives (e.g., securing a water pipeline) can lead operators to overlook significant micro-level opportunities to benefit the local community.
• The current three-level survey system (Level One: nationwide, Level Two: technical, Level Three: completion) is insufficient; socio-economic analysis should be integrated throughout the entire project cycle, including regular post-handover follow-ups.
• Standardized indicators often oversimplify impact and may be used primarily for donor accountability rather than knowledge building or performance improvement.

APA

MILLARD, A. S., & HARPVIKEN, K. B. (2000). Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action. Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/26d3f67f-2ef2-4386-b24f-9c8fe18c95df/Millard and Harpviken 2000 Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action.pdf?inline=true

Chicago

MILLARD, ANANDA S., and KRISTIAN BERG HARPVIKEN. Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action. Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2000. https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/26d3f67f-2ef2-4386-b24f-9c8fe18c95df/Millard and Harpviken 2000 Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action.pdf?inline=true.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=MILLARD |first1=ANANDA S. |last2=HARPVIKEN |first2=KRISTIAN BERG |title=Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=2000 |url=https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/26d3f67f-2ef2-4386-b24f-9c8fe18c95df/Millard and Harpviken 2000 Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action.pdf?inline=true |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{millard2000reassessing, author = {MILLARD, ANANDA S. and HARPVIKEN, KRISTIAN BERG}, title = {{Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action}}, institution = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2000}, url = {https://cdn.cloud.prio.org/files/26d3f67f-2ef2-4386-b24f-9c8fe18c95df/Millard and Harpviken 2000 Reassessing the Impact of Humanitarian Mine Action.pdf?inline=true}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }