The main international legal instrument for banning the use, production and international transfers of antipersonnel landmines is the Ottawa Treaty, approved in 1997, which in June 2011 had 156 signatory states. In the process leading to its approval, several civil society organizations, in many countries, played a prominent role through heavy pressure on some governments, promoting a campaign of huge media impact with support from some celebrities, notably Diana, Princess of Wales. This paper shows that in some areas with very obvious negative humanitarian consequences, it is possible that governments react positively to civil society pressures. Furthermore, this paper also examines how the problem of antipersonnel landmines has been tackled in Central and South America, also touching on Brazil's role in supporting the demining actions in these regions.
Anti-Personnel Landmines; Non-Governmental Organizations; Action Against Landmines; Central and South America
