17 November 2011

(Geneva/London, 17 November 2011) The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) have launched ‘Investing in Action 2012’, a local campaign support project that will provide organisations with funding for campaign activities throughout 2012. The ICBL-CMC will allocate financial support to member organisations, to encourage and enable local campaigning in support of the universalisation and implementation of the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions.

In the beginning of 2011, ICBL-CMC successfully implemented the first “Investing in Action” project which was the first joint scheme for the ICBL and CMC, following changes that had been made to ensure the transition for both organisations to a more unified structure. Local campaigning is vital to the strength of the campaigns to end the devastation and suffering caused by landmines and cluster munitions, by promoting adherence to these conventions.

Applications for funding should focus primarily on campaigning activities to persuade governments to ratify or accede to the Convention on Cluster Munitions and/or the Mine Ban Treaty and to enhance their implementation. ICBL and CMC member organisations are invited to apply for funding under this grant scheme to support local campaigning work in 2012. The project period will run from February 2012 until December 2012, therefore any activities that are outlined in applications should fall within this period.

Activities will ideally be focused around key global events and milestones within this grant period, which include the following:

  • ICBL Global “Lend your leg” action (1 March-4 April 2012).
  • Mine Ban Treaty Intersessional Standing Committee Meetings in Geneva (21-25 May 2012).
  • Convention on Cluster Munitions Intersessional Meetings in Geneva (16-19 April 2012)
  • 2nd anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (1 August 2012).
  • Third Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Oslo, Norway (10-14 September 2012).
  • Launch of Cluster Munition Monitor 2012 (6 September 2012) and Landmine Monitor 2012 (29 November 2012).
  • Mine Ban Treaty Twelfth Meeting of States Parties in Geneva (3-7 December 2012), International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 12 anniversary of signing of the MBT, and 4th anniversary of signing of the CCM (3 December 2012).

If an organisation is currently not a member of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines or the Cluster Munition Coalition it can still apply to the project, on the condition that it successfully seeks membership to the ICBL-CMC. The deadline for applications is Saturday 31 December 2011. Further information on the project, as well as the documents necessary to apply, can be found on the ICBL and CMC websites.

ICBL-CMC members who received support under the 2011 Investing in Action project are required to submit narrative and financial reports by the 13 January 2012 deadline in order to be considered for 2012.