International Day of Mine Awareness 2023

The International Day of Mine Awareness is observed on April 4th of every year. This day is observed to universally recognize the effects of explosives used during the war and the use of landmines by terrorist groups and other miscreants. On this day, the United Nations Organisation advocates the development and implementation of a universal legal framework to increase awareness about safety in mine-affected areas. The international organisation works in collaboration with the member states to improve the socio-economic conditions of civilians residing in post-conflict areas and advise the use of safe technologies for the safety of deminers.

History

On the 8th of October 2005, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) announced that on April 4th of every year, the member nations of the United Nations shall observe the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The UNGA called the members and relevant authorities/organisations to focus on the development and establishment of national mine-action capacities with the help of the United Nations Organisation. The capacities will be established in countries that have abundant remains of explosives and mines that pose a grave threat to the health and safety of civilians and impact the socio-economic development of the affected locality or the country as a whole.

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Theme

The United Nations Mine Action Service stated that the theme for International Day of Mine Awareness is “Safe Ground, Safe Steps, Safe Home”. According to the UNMAS, the theme symbolises the exemplary accomplishments of the global mine action community and member states of the United Nations Organisation. Mentioned below are the descriptions of the three components of the theme of this international day.

• “Safe Ground”: It is a global campaign to transform minefields into playgrounds. This campaign was introduced in 2019 by the United Nations Secretary-General. This campaign is based on the concept of eliminating landmines from the surface of Earth to make the planet safe for development.
• “Safe Steps”: This campaign is exclusively for deminers that constantly live in the fear of the unknown. When deminers approach contaminated areas they are apprehensive that they might be killed by the landmines and other hazardous explosives. To relieve them of their fear, UNMAS propagates and encourages the use of safe technologies to detonate landmines and remove explosives.
• “Safe Home”: This component of the theme is dedicated to restoring the personal security of people residing in post-conflict settings. This campaign is to make residents of landmine-affected areas feel safe and secure at home. 

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United Nations Mine Action Service

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) was established in 1997 to eradicate the threat posed by landmines, mines, and remnants of explosive devices used during a conflict or war. The UNMAS is committed to eliminating these explosives with the assistance of the affected countries by helping them in developing safety norms, eradication policies, and explosive standards. This specialised service is a part of the Department of Peace Operations of the United Nations and operates in accordance with the UN legislative mandates of the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly. 

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FAQs

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