MINE RISK EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE

Transcription

1 MINE RISK EDUCATION QUESTIONNAIRE Landmine Monitor Report 2005 Country: Please fill out this section only if you have a MRE or community liaison risk reduction program. Region/City: Organization: Contact Person: Program Title: 1) Type of Program: Place X in applicable boxes Community Liaison Mine Risk Education Implementer: Demining organization As a stand alone activity Stand alone MRE organization As part of integrated clearance Integrated demining and MRE organization 2) Briefly describe MRE scale and coverage, resources, scope and target: 3) Do you work directly or through partner organizations and/or national mine action authorities: Direct Through partner Both Please provide details (who, where, how long): 4) What is the annual budget for the program? 5) Please name funding sources: 6) Are MRE activities coordinated through the national mine action centre (or equivalent)? YES/NO 7) Is the MRE coordination body integrated into the MAC or equivalent? YES/NO. Please describe if it plays a role in determining priorities and programs: 8) Does a national version of the IMAS (international Mine Action Standards) MRE standards exist in country? If yes, who was responsible for this? YES/NO 9) Have the IMAS MRE standards been translated into the local language (if relevant)? YES/NO If yes, who did this? 10) What training do MRE educators receive? Who provides this? 11) Please describe who is targeted or prioritized for MRE: 12) Do MRE organizations know why are people being hurt? Are people hurt because the are: 1

2 Unaware: Reckless: Intentional: Uninformed: Misinformed Other: 13) Please describe and give example of MRE activities undertaken (i.e. how is the information delivered )? e.g through community based events, media 14) What is the average size of groups receiving MRE? 15) Is MRE linked in any way to clearance activities (where these happens) or does it operate independently? 16) Does MRE generate clearance requests YES/NO If yes, how many? 17) How many clearance requests resulted in clearance? 18) Who undertakes MRE? MRE agency staff Community liaison personnel Clearance staff Community leaders Other (please describe): 12) If there been any evaluation of the program, please Indicate if it was internal or external, list the results, describe the measures taken, and attach a copy. Please describe how is the effectiveness or impact of MRE is measured (ie how do you know it is working) and list the indicators used? How may people took part in MRE sessions in 2004? Number of Children? Number of Adults Any other comments? Completed by: Signed: Position in organization: Place: Date: THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION.PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE BY: TO /FAX 2

3 MINE ACTION TERMINOLOGY Please provide the above questionnaire to mine action operators. Do not attach this terminology section, which is included for your information only. Mine Risk Education According to the international mine action standards (IMAS), mine risk education is: A process that aims to minimize civilian deaths and injuries from landmines and other explosive remnants of war, to facilitate other mine action activities, and to support development. MRE promotes the adoption of safe behaviour by at-risk groups, and provides the links between affected communities, other mine action components and the relief and development sectors. Mine risk education is an essential component of mine action. It comprises three related and mutually reinforcing components: i) Community Liaison; ii) Public Dissemination; and iii) Education and Training. Community liaison is a strategic principle of mine action. (Source: IMAS 04.10, Definition 3.126, as amended on 1 January 2005.) MRE Goals A) Minimise deaths and injuries from explosive remnants of war. While called mine risk education, MRE seeks to prevent harm to civilians from all types of explosive ordnance antipersonnel and antivehicle mines, cluster munitions, and unexploded ordnance (UXO). The main strategies employed to achieve this goal include information provision and exchange, advocacy and capacity development: Providing information and training to at-risk populations; and Wherever possible, exchanging information with affected communities; and Providing information to, and advocating with, the mine action, relief and development sectors. B) Facilitate other mine action activities This means MRE should help to facilitate demining, victim assistance, stockpile destruction and advocacy to ban anti-personnel mines. MRE can also support coordination, quality management, assessment and planning, priority selection and setting, and advocacy for mine action more generally. It achieves these goals by exchanging information between affected communities and the mine action sector. This process of linkages and advocacy is called community liaison. C) Support community development Organizations engaged in MRE often find that the main obstacle to safe behaviour is not ignorance or irresponsibility, but a lack of suitable alternatives to forced risk-taking. Where people know that an area or an activity is potentially hazardous, but need to enter an area to collect water, firewood or food in order to survive, or have to collect ordnance for its scrap metal value in order to earn some money, simply telling them that what they are doing is dangerous is both pointless and disrespectful. We therefore need to identify realistic solutions to help the community. Some of these may be mine action related, 3

4 others are more generally found in the relief or development spheres. Again, this process of linkages and advocacy is called community liaison. Community Liaison See below... Public Information Dissemination This means the provision of information to at-risk individuals and communities to reduce their risk of injury from mines and other UXO. It seeks to raise awareness of the dangers and promote safe behaviour. Public information dissemination is primarily a one-way form of communication transmitted through mass media, which can provide relevant information and advice in a cost-effective and timely manner. In contrast to the other MRE activities, public information dissemination projects may be stand-alone projects that are implemented independently, and often in advance, of other mine action activities. In an emergency post-conflict situation, due to time constraints and lack of accurate data, public information dissemination is often the most practical means of communicating safety information to reduce risk. Equally, they may form part of a more comprehensive risk reduction strategy within a mine action programme, supporting community-based MRE, demining or advocacy activities. Education and Training This includes any educational and training activities that seek to reduce the risk of injury from mines and other UXO by raising awareness of the threat posed to individuals and communities, and by promoting behavioural change. This is a two-way process, which involves the imparting and acquiring of knowledge, attitude and practice through teaching and learning. It is therefore more targeted to those at risk, using more specific messages and strategies, than is typically the case with public information dissemination. Education and training activities may be conducted in formal and non-formal environments. For example, this may include teacher-to-child education in schools, parent-to-children and children-to-parent education in the home, child-to-child education, peer-to-peer education in work and recreational environments, landmine safety training for humanitarian aid workers, and the incorporation of landmine safety messages in regular occupational heath and safety practices. Who is MRE for? For an MRE project to be effective it is crucial that the provider is clear on who to target and the nature of the risk. There are a number of different reasons why individuals are at risk from landmines and UXO. Risk-takers fit broadly into five categories: The Unaware (the person doesn t know about the danger of mines or UXO typical examples are refugees or young children); The Uninformed (the person knows about mines but doesn t know about safe behaviour typical examples are the internally displaced or older children); The Misinformed (the person has been given the wrong messages or thinks, wrongly, that he or she knows about safe behaviour typical examples are former soldiers); 4

5 The Reckless (the victim knows about mine-safe behaviour but deliberately ignores it typical examples are adolescent boys); and The Forced (the victim has no option but to intentionally adopt unsafe behaviour in order to survive typical examples are adults in highly-impacted communities who need to forage for their families to survive). # # # Community Liaison An Introduction Landmine Monitor Report 2005 differs from earlier reports as it aims to report in more detail on community liaison as well as mine risk education. To assist your research and questioning of mine action organizations we have prepared this is introduction to community liaison, its development and examples of how it works. The International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) helps enforce quality and ensure good practise by listing the minimal standards required for a mine action organizations. The IMAS for MRE was finalized in 2005 and is now being implemented by all MRE programs (see The standards represent a significant development as they stress the need for community liaison to be undertaken by MRE organizations and, where appropriate, by clearance organizations. According to the IMAS for MRE, community liaison in mine action is defined as, liaison with mine/uxo affected communities to exchange information on the presence and impact of mines and UXO, create a reporting link with the mine action program and develop risk reduction strategies. Community liaison aims to ensure community needs and priorities are central to the planning, implementation and monitoring of mine action operations. So community liaison is based on an exchange of information and involves communities in the decision making process, (before, during and after demining), in order to establish priorities for mine action. In this way mine action program can be inclusive, community focused and ensure the maximum involvement of all sections of the community. This involvement includes joint planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of projects. Community liaison also works with communities to develop specific interim safety strategies promoting individual and community behavioral change. This is designed to reduce the impact of mines/uxo on individuals and communities until such time as the threat is removed. Mine risk education is generally carried out by specialized mine clearance organizations (such as MAG) or by development NGOs that have a mine clearance capacity (such as HI or NPA). Not every specialist mine clearance NGOs undertakes MRE (for example RONCO). Awareness organizations not linked to clearance activity, carry out MRE as a result of experience and specialization in fields of education, protection and other areas (for example ICRC, UNICEF). A common experience of mine clearance teams has been frustration or miscommunication in dealings with the population near to areas being demined. Examples of these frustrations include: 5

6 The theft or disappearance of minefield marking material resulting in delay and possibly danger to clearance teams; Local herders or farmers crossing land being cleared, resulting in delay and possibly danger to deminers; A community s seeming refusal to use land once cleared; A community complaining that the wrong area has been prioritized for clearance; Staff of clearance agencies being made to feel unwelcome, or treated with suspicion; A great deal of time and resources spent clearing suspect areas that later are found not to contain mines or UXO. Meanwhile communities have often claimed that: They are not informed what is going on, such as who the deminers are working for, who is in charge, and why they are present; They are not consulted about when is a convenient time of year for clearance to start so as not to clash with seasonal use of land; They are often not informed of when clearance is completed, or where clearance has been suspended due to seasonal factors; They are not clear how land has been prioritized for clearance. Community liaison is therefore seen as a way to improve communication. Mine clearance teams can work more efficiently with improved cooperation and intelligence from local communities. Communities are provided with a greater sense of ownership and understanding as to what is being done, for whom, for how long and why. Community liaison helps the priority setting process. A lack of socio-economic data originating from the community can and often does hamper every step from planning through to operations. Priority setting and often clearance is often initiated prior to the completion of a detailed country-wide (or affected area) survey. Community liaison activities provide an alternative means for prioritizing clearance activity. Community liaison is carried out through these activities: Information Gathering: On the location, nature and impact of the mine /UXO problem and help prioritize clearance activities according to need and impact; Information Sharing: Meaning networking, negotiation, and ongoing contact with all stakeholders; Promoting Mine Risk Education: Promoting alternative ways of doing things tailored to individual affected communities. This may include MRE if and when required. Evaluation and Impact Monitoring of fieldwork. These activities are part of a three stage process. 6

7 Stage I: Pre Clearance Activities Information gathering help prioritize clearance activities. This can involve regional authorities, hospitals, government agencies, military, NGOs, etcetera. Detailed work with representatives of all sectors of the community to gather information on the specific nature of the threat. Developing a clear understanding of existing socio economic conditions in communities prior to organisational involvement (with a view to measuring change and to assist with needs assessments and evaluations) and access to land, health care, education, grazing, water, firewood etc. All the above information is fed back to clearance teams to assist with prioritization and tasking. Stage II: During Clearance This includes the preparation and detailed planning phase immediately prior to the start of clearance activities. Agreeing with the community on details of the work such as where clearance will start, what it will involve, how long it is likely to take, and how the community can assist. Providing updates and feedback on the progress of the clearance program, including adjusted timeframes. Actively involving the community in taking responsibility for maintenance of minefield marking signs, and control of children and animals in and around minefield areas. Close liaison with relevant stakeholders on progress with eg IO s, NGO s government bodies etc If required provide Mine Awareness education, targeted at the most appropriate / vulnerable sectors of society. Stage III: Post Clearance This includes: Handing over of land to communities indicating where cleared, and areas that still possibly present dangers Evaluation of work undertaken, with a view to providing feedback for future programs to improve impact. Linking the community to organizations providing post clearance support including assistance with the rehabilitation of resources and infrastructure. Returning to communities periodically to assess land use, and update basic socio economic data to assist understanding of the impact of clearance. # # # 7