UN Warns Land Mines Still Threaten Millions Worldwide

According to the report, at least 58 states and territories remained contaminated with anti-personnel mines in 2025, while millions of mines are still believed to be held in military stockpiles around the world.

A new United Nations human rights report has raised alarm over the continued use of anti-personnel land mines, warning that these weapons are still causing deaths, injuries and long-term hardship for civilians nearly three decades after a global treaty sought to eliminate them. The report, released by the UN Human Rights Office, highlights the ongoing humanitarian impact of land mines and calls on countries to strengthen commitments to international agreements that restrict their use.

Civilians Continue to Bear the Greatest Burden

According to the report, at least 58 states and territories remained contaminated with anti-personnel mines in 2025, while millions of mines are still believed to be held in military stockpiles around the world. The latest available figures show that at least 1,945 people were killed and 4,325 were injured by land mines and explosive remnants of war during 2024. Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen and Burkina Faso recorded the highest numbers of casualties.

Where victim status was known, civilians accounted for around 90 per cent of all casualties caused by anti-personnel mines. Children represented more than 40 per cent of civilian victims recorded since 1999, highlighting the continued risks faced by vulnerable communities. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk described it as deeply troubling that these weapons continue to kill and injure people decades after they were originally deployed.

Impact Extends Beyond Physical Injuries

The report notes that survivors often face life-changing injuries, including amputations, blindness and hearing loss, leading to long-term challenges for individuals and their families. Mine contamination also affects entire communities by turning large areas into unsafe zones. Agricultural land becomes unusable, transportation routes are disrupted, and humanitarian organisations can struggle to reach people in need.

Schools located in contaminated areas face additional risks, placing children's safety and education at risk. The presence of mines can also delay reconstruction efforts and limit economic development for years after conflicts have ended. Türk noted that when family breadwinners are injured, women frequently take on additional caregiving responsibilities, creating further social and economic pressures.

Calls for Stronger International Commitment

The Ottawa Convention, formally known as the Anti-Personnel Mine-Ban Convention, currently has 162 member states. Despite its widespread support, several countries with significant stockpiles remain outside the treaty. The report also notes that Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have recently withdrawn from the convention, while Ukraine has indicated it is suspending implementation of its treaty obligations.

Türk urged countries that have not joined the treaty to ratify it and encouraged those that have withdrawn to return. He also welcomed Lebanon's recent decision to join the convention despite facing serious security challenges. The report stresses the need for long-term support for survivors, including access to healthcare, rehabilitation, education, employment and social protection.

It also highlights declining international funding for mine action efforts, with contributions to the United Nations Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action falling from $125 million to $46 million over the seven years leading up to 2025. The report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council on 26 June 2026.