Women can drive progress towards the central goals of mine action, which aims to increase security, rebuild communities, reclaim land and end the looming fear caused by explosive remnants of war.
The statistics of mines that need clearance are staggering but the truth is it's a challenge that is absolutely doable.
The United Nations is committed to ridding the world of anti-personnel landmines.
Since World War II, most of the conflicts in the world have been internal conflicts. The weapon of choice in those wars has all too often been landmines - to such a degree that what we find today are tens of millions of landmines contaminating approximately 70 countries around the world.
I call for greater measures to involve more women at higher levels in mine action. Governments should do more to address gender in their mine action programmes and through their implementation of the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention.
The United Nations is proud to have the Adopt-A-Minefield Campaign as a partner.
By the late 1980s, there was the beginning of awareness about a significant global landmine problem, and small steps were being taken to try to deal with the problem.
A mine-free world does not need to be a dream - together, we can make it a reality.
