The Socio-Economic Impact of Mine Action in Afghanistan: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

This study was conducted as part of the World Bank-funded "Afghanistan Watching Brief Program", jointly implemented by UNDP and the World Bank. It is an outgrowth of a report entitled Study of the Socio-Economic Impact of Mine Action in Afghanistan (SIMAA), which was subsequently revised and rewritten. The program has supported three main types of activities: (1) economic and sector studies on topics of importance for the Afghan economy and for international assistance to Afghanistan; (2) conferences, workshops, and inter-agency teamwork on topics of interest to the assistance community (i.e. education, health, and food security); and (3) short-term training for Afghan women NGOs based in Peshawar, Pakistan to improve their job-related skills.

This evaluation study was commissioned, with broad terms of reference, in early 2000 with the main objective to estimate the socio-economic costs of mines (and correspondingly the benefits of de-mining) and the costs of mine clearance activities. On this basis a cost-benefit analysis of mine action in Afghanistan has been conducted. Another objective of the study was to provide a conceptual framework and methodology, as well as to identify data needs, for regular use of cost-benefit analysis by the Mine Action Program for Afghanistan.