Mine Action Area of Responsibility

The risk of death or injury from explosive ordnance exists in every major conflict across the globe today. Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices kill or injure thousands of people. Most of the victims are civilians and half of them are children. The highest numbers of casualties are recorded in protracted conflicts where ongoing fighting adds new layers of contamination and at the same time delays clearance of the older contamination – in Afghanistan, Colombia, Iraq, Myanmar, Syria and Yemen.

Mine action is a specialized protection activity that cuts across all spheres of humanitarian action. Explosive hazards inhibit freedom of movement, put civilian infrastructures at risk and limit access to food, water, schools, hospitals and shelter, and ultimately, they jeopardize the safe and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

Mine action reduces danger and protects people from the physical and psychological harm caused by explosive hazards. Mine action is a vital component of humanitarian responses.