Paul Davies
Member
Username: Paul_davies
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 11:02 am: | |
I have been involved in both humanitarian mine action and NGO security training for quite some time now. Recently I was delivering another security management workshop for RedR in the UK, and during my session on landmines, unexploded ordnance (UXO) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) started to talk about the lack of mainstreaming of 'mine awareness' in project planning and implementation in the field.
I have recently returned from 18 months in the Lao PDR working in mine action. Both INGOs and multilateral institutions either merely play lip service to the issue of UXO contamination, or simply choose to ignore it. Road construction, food for work projects, basically anything that involves project workers inter-acting with a UXO, landmine or IED infested environment will naturally make workers and civilians living in these areas more vulnerable to this threat.
Given that landmines, IEDs and UXOs will inevitably associated with all modern conflicts, all humanitarian / development action in such contexts must start mainstreaming responses to the threat. After nearly 15 years of humanitarian mine action being a recognised sector within the aid world, it is quite extraordinary how little we have learnt in terms of our day to day practice, planning and implementing projects in the field. |
Living in the Field