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Witnessing A Way Forward

In conflict and post-conflict situations the goal should always be to create projects designed, implemented and led by local partners and communities. In my experience, this is the most impactful and sustainable way to rebuild lives; allow marginalised communities to empower themselves; and to create a lasting peace."

Credit: Legacy of War Foundation

Giles Duley

United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations.

Throughout the exhibit, learn more about each topic from Giles Duley

At least 60 states around the world are still contaminated with landmines, some dating back more than 50 years.^*

Despite the efforts of the United Nations, Member States, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and communities, in 2022 unexploded remnants killed or injured at least 4,710 people across 49 countries. To commemorate International Mine Action Day 2024, we invite you to hear from those directly involved in and affected by mine action - and witness the way forward. Find out how mine-affected and post-conflict communities are working together with state parties around the world to bring about impactful and sustainable change: from finding new ways to locate and clear landmines, to educating young people about the risks of unexploded ordnance, and creating opportunities for those living with landmine and conflict-related disabilities.

STATE PARTIES CLEARED A TOTAL OF 219.31km? CONTAMINATED LAND IN 2022 & 169,276 ANTIPERSONNEL LANDMINES WERE DECONSTRUCTED IN 2022^*

The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.

Map developed with support from the Geospatial Information Section, Technology Operations Service | Operations Support Division Office of Information and Communications Technology. Base map: United Nations Geospatial

LANDMINE CONTAMINATION MAP

UKRAINE CASE STUDY

Ukraine is one of the most mined states in the world. The HALO Trust employs over 1,200 Ukrainian staff - nearly 30% of whom are women - to conduct mine clearance, carry out surveys, and provide mine risk education around the country. As well as keeping Ukrainians safe, their work is also enabling the recovery of the country¡¯s agricultural sector and helping displaced people to return home.

Oleksandra lives in a part of the Kyiv region that is now contaminated with unexploded ordnance. She joined HALO Trust to train as a deminer to help ensure that Ukraine¡¯s land is safe for her two children and future generations.

Credits: The HALO Trust

MEET OLEKSANDRA

Credit: Giles Duley

MOTIVATION

Assistive technologies, including wheelchairs and mobility aids, can help people with landmine injuries and other disabilities to live full and independent lives. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities considers mobility and inclusion to be a human right. Yet in the Global South, less than 5% of people who need them have access to appropriate wheelchairs.

Sometimes, wheelchairs designed for use in urban settings aren¡¯t functional in rural environments. Resource constraints can make them unaffordable, or too expensive to repair if they get damaged. A lack of appropriate training means that people may receive wheelchairs that don¡¯t fit properly or aren¡¯t suitable, which can have serious health implications.

In Kenya, NGO Motivation has partnered with Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to design and locally manufacture durable, affordable, rough terrain wheelchairs to ensure everyone has access to suitable wheelchairs.

Credit: Jake Honeywill / Motivation

Nawali, Chad

Credit: Giles Duley / Humanity & Inclusion

Back in Sudan, Nawali (who was paralysed following an illness in childhood) was an activist and community organiser working to support those around her. But when the fighting started, she and her family had to flee after soldiers stole her motorised wheelchair. Now living alongside over 150,000 other refugees in Chad¡¯s Adr¨¦ camp, Nawali is confined to a tent and has to crawl to get to the communal latrines.

Conflicts leave people disabled, and in the case of unexploded ordnance and landmines, this can happen decades later. The United Nations aims to address how the needs of persons with disabilities are accounted for before and during conflicts, as set out in Security Council resolution 2475 which recalls the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Here are two examples.

Physical injuries aren¡¯t the only danger: UXO risk, and displacement create a constant lack of safety which takes a toll on the mental health of children and young people.

The Ayjal Foundation runs group psychosocial support sessions to help give young people the skills to manage emotional distress and trauma. Working with child psychology experts, as well as local artists and storytellers, they¡¯ve also developed a free Arabic language Psychological First Aid toolkit for teachers and carers.

^*Sources: Euro-Med Monitor, One war older: Israeli violations against children and women during the military attack on Gaza. Geneva: 2021.

Credit: Ajyal Foundation

ODAI AND MARYAM, GAZA

Odai has a developmental disorder which left him Deaf. As a result, he was unable to hear the warning alarm indicating a rocket attack which paralysed him.

Maryam was born with severe cerebral palsy after her mother nearly died in a suicide bombing while pregnant. Maryam is unable to speak, walk or feed herself. Because of her mobility issues her family weren¡¯t able to flee quickly enough when they heard a warning alarm, and she was injured when a rocket hit their family home.

RESOLUTION 2475^*

URGES MEMBER STATES TO ENABLE THE MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, INCLUDING THEIR REPRESENTATIVE ORGANIZATIONS, IN HUMANITARIAN ACTION, CONFLICT PREVENTION, RESOLUTION, RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION AND PEACEBUILDING, AND TO CONSULT WITH THOSE WITH EXPERTISE WORKING ON DISABILITY MAINSTREAMING."

This year is the fifth anniversary of United Nations Security Council resolution 2475 which calls on Member States to protect the rights of people with disabilities during and in the aftermath of armed conflict. That means making sure that people with disabilities aren¡¯t left behind: making sure safety information like evacuation alerts, sirens, landmine warnings and mine risk education reach everyone who needs to understand them.

Credit: Giles Duley

Mr. Gerald Quinn, the Special Rapporteur for persons with disabilities 2021 - 2023, wrote about Resolution 2475 in his final report:

Security Council resolution 2475 (2019) should be used as a basis to:

• (a) Make disability, peace and security a permanent theme of the Security Council;
• (b) Better address the intersectional nature of disability with other personal characteristics within the women and peace and security and the youth, peace and security agendas;
• (c) Give closer attention to the case for developing a set of guidelines on persons with disabilities in armed conflict and in post-conflict situations equivalent to the women and peace and security and youth, peace and security agendas...

Source: Paragraph 83. of the A/78/174: Peacebuilding and the inclusion of persons with disabilities - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities. 2023: 20-21

Around half of civilian landmine casualties are children, making mine risk education (MRE) a crucial part of reducing harm.^*

^*Sources: UNICEF; see also The Impact of Mines/ERW on Children Factsheet, Landmine Monitor. Geneva: 2022. Syrian Network for Human Rights, ¡®On International Day for Mine Awareness: Syria Is Among the World¡¯s Worst Countries for the Number of Mines Planted in Unknown Locations¡¯. 2022: 5.

UNMAS SYRIA

Photo: Caption: Mr. Ahmad, in one the sessions in Rural Damascus ?UNMAS August 2023

In 2023 UNMAS Syria trained six people with landmine injuries to deliver MRE training, including Hanan and Ahmad. Ahmad was injured as a teenager, playing in an area with landmines. Now a law student, he teaches other young people about the danger of landmines. This programme has since been paused due to a funding shortage.

KOALAA

Although many people require access to prosthetic devices, upper limb prosthetics in particular face a significant rate of abandonment - sometimes because users don¡¯t find devices to be sufficiently comfortable, functional or culturally appropriate.

Koalaa is one example of a project creating upper limb prosthetic devices designed to be comfortable and affordable. In 2021, they ran a pilot in Sierra Leone, which has a disproportionately high number of amputees. Prosthetic users explained it was important to have the option of a cosmetic prosthetic with a choice of skin tones.

Koalaa worked with them to design a cosmetic attachment to help users feel more comfortable.

Around 100 million people globally need a prosthetic limb.^*

Alimatu, Sierra Leone

Alimatu was born with a below elbow limb difference and uses her Koalaa prosthetic for sweeping, writing, laundry and scraping fish. Alimatu found it difficult when growing up to make friends but since she started mingling with others who have limb differences she has built her confidence and has been trying new things.

injured by landmines and unexploded ordinance (UXO) in 2022 (on average)^*

Up to 1/3 of survivors

will be left with amputations and will need lifelong rehabilitation and access to prosthetics and orthotics devices^*

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is contaminated with anti-personnel mines and other explosive remnants of war, and the ongoing conflict makes it difficult for people with disabilities to access the services they need.

Social enterprise Ugani uses 3D scanners and printers to create lower limb prosthetics. Their digital system makes remote services possible, improving access and allowing prosthetists to reach 10 times more patients.

UGANI

My prosthetic allows me to walk to school by myself and play with my classmates¡± - Cecile

CAMBODIA

Since 1979 over 45,000 people have been injured by UXO and landmines in Cambodia, with many left with lifelong impairment. The country is working to be mine free by the end of 2025.

AGRILAB

Many people injured by landmines and UXO live in rural areas where agriculture is the primary source of income.

People¡¯s Action for Inclusive Development¡¯s AgriLab works with farmers with disabilities, including landmine injuries, to develop assistive technology tools to help them return to work. Over 300 Cambodian farmers have taken part in AgriLab workshops, co-designing items like water collectors, accessible chicken coups, and trailer attachments so wheelchair users can transport their tools and goods.

Mrs. Suon Pheap has a physical disability affecting one side of her body, as well as caring responsibilities for 3 generations of her family. AgriLab¡¯s workshops introduced her to other farmers with disabilities, and the tools they developed together have improved her farm¡¯s productivity and increased her income.

Credit: People¡¯s Action for Inclusive Development

LAND FOR WOMEN

Donatha, LFW Farmer

Today we have hope that we will use this land forever: even when we get old, our children will use the land. We have seen that it is possible to eradicate poverty and malnutrition. We want to become an inspiration to many¡±.

Credit: Legacy of War Foundation

People cannot recover from trauma when their basic needs - like food, shelter and sustainable incomes - are not met.

Founded in 2017, Legacy of War Foundation¡¯s Land for Women program is one example of a project working to address these basic needs through sustainable, community-led development. Land for Women partners with groups of Rwandan women who have experienced trauma and gender-based violence. It doesn¡¯t seek to empower them - instead, by providing a route into land ownership and sustainable cooperative farming, it helps dismantle the barriers they face to self-empowerment and lifts whole families out of poverty. The pilot was created in collaboration with Imboni Cooperative, led by genocide and sexual violence survivor Olive whose story is shared in a film on the right.

Credit: Giles Duley

Victorine From Rwanda

During the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, Victorine's husband was murdered and she and her children were violently attacked. Decades later she still lives with constant pain and mobility issues, in a home with stairs which limit her activites.

Like the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the African Union¡¯s disability protocol recognises the social model of disability, which promotes:

a human rights-based approach to disability, providing a more modern understanding of disability as the consequence of the interaction between an individual and an environment that does not accommodate the individual¡¯s differences.¡± - Office of the Ãå±±½ûµØSpecial Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict

Bearing in mind the slogan of the disability rights movement ¡°nothing about us without us¡±, which is built into the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the voices of persons with disabilities must be included heard and are the most effective tool for change.¡±^* - Ms. Heba Hagrass, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities

People like Alimatu, Nawali, Odai, Maryam and Victorine are not limited by their impairments - they are limited by circumstances and barriers that exist in the world around them.

^*https://au.int/en/treaties/protocol-african-charter-human-and-peoples-rights-rights-persons-disabilities-africa | A/HRC/55/56: Rights of persons with disabilities - Report of the Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities