BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 7. A resolution addressing the impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of human rights and strengthening assistance to victims has been adopted at the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, with Azerbaijan serving as a co-author and actively promoting the initiative.
According to Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 70 states joined the resolution as co-authors, and the document was adopted without a vote.
During the session, Azerbaijan organized a public dialogue to promote the joint initiative and keep the issue on the international agenda. It also co-hosted a side event dedicated to the humanitarian and human rights consequences of landmines.
Azerbaijan, one of the countries most heavily contaminated by landmines, emphasized the severe and long-term impact of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance on the full enjoyment of human rights and on the lives of victims and their families.
The resolution places particular emphasis on assistance to mine victims. Azerbaijan stressed that mine action is an essential element of sustainable peace and plays a major role in post-conflict recovery.
Mine clearance can facilitate the safe and dignified return of former internally displaced persons to their homes, while supporting the reconstruction of affected communities and territories and contributing to socioeconomic development.
The resolution also highlights the links between mine action, peace and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Azerbaijan noted that mine clearance can also contribute to more effective adaptation to climate-related risks.
The Azerbaijani side emphasized the need for stronger international support, partnerships and sustainable financing for mine action and victim assistance, given the scale of casualties caused by landmines.
It welcomed the Human Rights Council’s call for member states to increase funding for mine clearance and victim assistance, including through alternative financing mechanisms and public-private partnerships.
Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of strengthening international cooperation, solidarity and sustained support in addressing the global landmine threat, while highlighting the contribution of mine action to protecting human rights, establishing sustainable peace and promoting development.
