IMPACT
From 1 January to 31 September 2022:
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Removed 7,526 items of explosive remnants of war (ERW) 2,872 improvised explosive devices (IED) including 687 main charges, 817 IED explosive component 777 Complete IEDs, and 591 victim-operated improvised explosive devices (VOIED) and 1,207 anti-personnel / anti-tank mines in liberated areas.
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Conducted 94 clearance tasks enabling rehabilitation and resumption of livelihood activities, and humanitarian actors to move forward with urgent lifesaving interventions.
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36 Ministry of Interior police officers trained in explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) course, including 15 women, and 23 in improvised explosive device disposal (IEDD) including 1 woman. 24 police officers on EOD/IEDD train-the-trainers (T3) course, and 48 police officers trained on drones. 32 Joint Coordination and Monitoring Center (JCMC) and local government officials on Basic Humanitarian Mine Action training.
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788 cash-for-work employees, NGO, and UN security personnel, including 116 women trained in explosive ordnance (EO) awareness/safety training.
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85,878 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.
ABOUT
Iraq is one of the most explosive ordnance-contaminated countries in the world. It has approximately 2,995 square kilometers of recorded contaminated areas, including extensive and complex contamination in areas retaken from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Across Iraq, 27 percent of explosive ordnance contamination is found in agricultural areas - preventing productive use of the land for livelihood activities; another 21 percent is found in infrastructure - hampering reconstruction efforts and access to infrastructure for services and economic opportunities; with an additional 20 percent found in roads - challenging interconnectivity in the country and 23 per cent blocking access to water.[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.
[1] Directorate for Mine Action, November 2022.
ACTIVITIES
UNMAS 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 supports a nationally led and implemented mine action response. Building on existing capacities, UNMAS provides technical advice to the Government of Iraq in various ministries, mine action authorities, the Ministry of Interior (police and civil defense), and government operations coordination centers to support the management, regulation, and coordination of response to explosive ordnance. Furthermore, UNMAS Iraq promotes the development of sustainable capacity for national operators towards fully nationalizing humanitarian mine action activities in Iraq.
Explosive Ordnance Risk Education
People at risk recognize how to mitigate the threat of explosive ordnance: The provision of EORE to IDPs returning home, returnees, and affected communities will enable populations to recognize how to mitigate the explosive threat and adopt safer behaviors. This, in turn, will assist people in feeling safer when the number of explosive ordnance incidents is reduced.
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 increases the capacity of national mine operators through the partnership model.
FUNDING
UNMAS in Iraq is solely funded through contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund. For the year 2022, UNMAS has thus far secured USD 26 million with a remaining shortfall of USD 16 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 November 2022