عربي  (Arabic)

IMPACT

From 1 January to 28 February 2023:

• Removed 457 items of explosive remnants of war (ERW), 624 improvised explosive devices (IED) including 45 main charges, 242 IED explosive component, 219 complete IEDs, and 118 victim-operated improvised explosive devices (VOIED) and 19 anti-personnel / anti-tank mines in liberated areas from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Conducted 36 clearance tasks enabling rehabilitation and resumption of livelihood activities, and humanitarian actors to move forward with urgent lifesaving interventions.

• 7 police officers trained on T3 EHFR including five women. 37 NGO personnel including 10 women trained in explosive ordnance awareness/safety training.

• 4,076 Iraqi vulnerable people received explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) and risk awareness training in schools, internally displaced person (IDP) camps, and other high-priority areas. (394 men, 644 women, 1643 boys, 1395 girls).

ABOUT

Following 40 years of conflict, Iraq is one of the world’s most EO contaminated countries. It has approximately 2,236 square kilometers of recorded contaminated areas, including extensive and complex contamination in areas liberated.

Across Iraq, 27 per cent of EO contamination is found in agricultural areas, preventing productive use of land for livelihood activities; 21 per cent of EO is found in and around infrastructure, hampering reconstruction efforts and access to infrastructure for services and economic opportunities; and 20 per cent of EO is found along roads challenging interconnectivity within the country.[1] 

Continued clearance of residential and agricultural areas is an important contributor to the conditions for sustainable returns and development and supports broader humanitarian objectives.

The UNMAS Iraq programme takes a programmatic approach to the assistance provided to the Government of Iraq in leading and coordinating a national mine action response supported by multi-donor contributions.

ACTIVITIES

UNMAS Iraq supports the Government of Iraq to protect civilians impacted by explosive ordnance and to enable humanitarian action and socio-economic development through three pillars of work:

Technical Support

The Government of Iraq effectively prioritizes tasks implemented increasingly by national actors:  UNMAS Iraq supports a nationally led and implemented mine action response. Building on existing capacities, UNMAS Iraq provides technical advice to the Government of Iraq in various ministries, mine action authorities, the Ministry of Interior, and government operations coordination centers to support the management, regulation, and coordination of response to explosive ordnance.

Explosive Ordnance Risk Education

People at risk recognize how to mitigate the threat of explosive ordnance:  To promote safe returns of IDPs, and mitigate the explosive threat and adopt safe behavior, UNMAS Iraq EORE teams provide EORE sessions to IDPs and affected communities. Through 2022, a total of 126 children (101 boys and 25 girls) were killed or maimed by IEDs and ERW; 55 children were killed and 71 were maimed. The number of child casualties during 2022 remained at the same level as what was recorded throughout 2021, a spike in incidents with child casualties.

Explosive Hazard Management

Safe access to restore or facilitate use of contaminated land and infrastructure is enabled:  The delivery and management of explosive hazard management, inclusive of survey and clearance, in areas of high priorities will enable the restoration of safe access and use of land and infrastructure. This will, in turn, support the safe, dignified, voluntary, and sustainable return of IDPs to their areas of origin as well as facilitate socio-economic development activities. UNMAS Iraq also promotes the development of sustainable capacity for national mine action responses through the partnership model where international and national NGOs work together to transfer the skill, knowledge and experiences.

FUNDING

UNMAS in Iraq is solely funded through contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund. For 2023, UNMAS Iraq has secured USD 12 million with a remaining shortfall of USD nine million. To date, UNMAS in Iraq has received contributions from Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand (including in-kind support), the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Slovakia, Sweden (including in-kind support), and the United Kingdom.

Data as of February 2023