Gender Perspectives on Landmines: How and why are gender perspectives relevant to reducing the scourge of landmines?

To date, the international community has paid very little attention to the gender dimensions of landmines. There are numerous rhetorical statements about women and children as innocent victims of landmines, but little documentation, research and analysis. This note provides initial thoughts on how a gender perspective could be beneficial in looking at landmines. In assessing the gender dimensions of landmines it should be stressed that each situation should be looked at on its own merits, as generalizations do not always apply across all situations.