Twelve United Nations Departments and Offices of the Secretariat, specialized agencies, funds and programmes play a role in mine action programs in n more than 30 countries and territories, across the humanitarian, peace and security, development and human rights pillars. A policy developed jointly by these institutions (Mine Action and Effective Coordination: the United Nations Inter-Agency Policy) guides the division of labor within the United Nations. Much of the actual work, such as demining and mine-risk education, is carried out by nongovernmental organizations. But commercial contractors and, in some situations, militaries, also provide humanitarian mine-action services. In addition, a variety of intergovernmental, international and regional organizations, as well as international financial institutions, also support mine action by funding operations or providing services to individuals and communities affected by mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), including cluster munitions, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The twelve United Nations Departments and Offices of the Secretariat, specialized agencies, funds and programmes are: the United Nations Mine Action Service of the Department of Peace Operations (UNMAS/DPO), the Office for Disarmament Affairs (ODA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs(OCHA), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the World Bank are observers.
The vision of the United Nations is a world free of the threat of landmines and explosive remnants of war, where individuals and communities live in a safe environment conducive to development, and where the needs of victims are met.
The United Nations Mine Action Strategy (2024) constitutes an accountability framework for the UN system and participating UN entities. It guides collaborative efforts to prevent and address the threats posed by explosive ordnance during and after armed conflicts, while providing support to affected communities. The Strategy reflects the collective engagement by the members of the IACG-MA.
Members of the IACG-MA cooperate extensively with NGOs to implement operational activities, such as clearance, explosive ordnance risk education, and victim assistance. They also coordinate and collaborate closely with commercial contractors, national authorities, and military actors to deliver humanitarian mine action services.