Mine Action Emergency Response in Djebock and Menaka, July 2015

Due to recent and ongoing armed conflict in northern In parallel, MAG conducted a community mapping, Mali, the presence of explosive remnants of war aiming at gathering and sharing information on the (ERW), improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and presence of ERW, risk taking behaviors and causes of landmines threatens the lives of thousands of people. accidents, as well as on the impact of ERW on socio economic conditions, with the participation of the Civilians living in affected areas, nomadic community leaders, local authorities, and Chief of the communities, refugees and internally displaced village of Djebock. persons (IDPs) are highly exposed to potential loss of As a result, four dangerous areas were reported by life and injuries. This contamination also impedes the the villagers, from which three were contaminated by delivery of humanitarian assistance to civilians, as ERW. UNMAS immediately deployed a technical well as access to livelihoods, freedom of movement capacity to secure and clear the sites. and economic recovery. Over the month of July, MAG continued to work in the In May and June 2015, the number of incidents vicinity of town, including in the villages of involving explosive hazards significantly increased as and Kadji. A total of 267 sessions were a result of ongoing clashes, with 12 victims reported delivered, reaching 6,314 people: 2,158 women; in a few weeks in . 1,241 girls; 1,539 men and; 1,376 boys. Over 6,314 flyers and 222 posters were also distributed.

Coordination of an emergency response When the number of civilian accident spiked in May DCA emergency activities in Menaka and June 2015, UNMAS, in coordination with the Following UNMAS request to provide emergency Protection Cluster (PC) and the MINUSMA Protection ERW risk education in Menaka circle, DCA deployed a of Civilian (PoC) section, immediately initiated a team on 29 June which immediately started to work humanitarian response, tasking its implementing with the local authorities, community leaders and partners Mine Advisory Group (MAG) and Dan Church villagers in order to disseminate safety messages to Aid (DCA), to provide emergency risk education in all persons at risk and to identify the needs. Religious areas heavily contaminated by ERW. leaders as well as the women’s group expressed the need for risk education activities with all communities of the Menaka circle as there were still many Intervention of MAG in Djebock incidents caused by the presence of ERW. In Djebock, ERW risk education sessions were requested by communities to MINUSMA peacekeepers. Two risk education teams from MAG were deployed and provided 38 sessions, reaching

1,160 persons from 29 June to 7 July, which included

431 women, 174 girls, 313 men and 242 boys. ERW safety messages were also disseminated through the distribution of 1,160 flyers and 91 posters.

© DCA

During this intervention, DCA reached 716 persons through ERW awareness activities, which also included a component on small arms light weapons (SALW) as their proliferation represent a significant threat to the population in this area. Risk education was also provided for personnel of NGOs, such as

Médecin du Monde (MdM) and the International

© MAG Rescue Committee (IRC). Further sessions were Impact of this emergency response requested for the coming weeks. In addition, five Awareness activities and non-technical surveys villages were surveyed by DCA teams, allowing to allowed the communities living in Djebock and gather information on potential contaminated areas. Menaka to be aware of the presence and threat of Despite DCA efforts, one accident took place during ERW, as well as to adopt safe behaviors. As a direct this period, injuring two children in Tibisilamine impact, ERW related incidents are decreasing. village, when three boys found an explosive ordnance During its deployment in Djebock, MAG asked two which detonated while one started tempering with it. people of village about the impact of mine action activities on their community:

« Before MAG arrived in Djebock,

our children were highly exposed to danger because they were not scared of these items. They were playing with it. (…) Risk education sessions allowed us to understand how to identify ERW and what to do when we see them during our daily activities.» Alhoussouna Walet Sidi, 35 years old © DCA

«During the conflict, armed groups Reaching vulnerable groups sojourned here. When they departed, MAG and DCA always try to make sure that the explosive ordnances were left communities the most exposed to the explosive behind, such as bullets which threat are reached by the safety messages. In children and even elders can grab. Djebock, risk education activities were mainly Today, thanks to the information directed at nomadic populations which are the most delivered by MAG, we will never pick up at-risk. bullets and other explosive items. (…) The most important was to learn how to behave when finding a suspicious item.»

Ibrahim Ag Mohamed, 43 years old

Getting ready for other emergencies Together with MAG and DCA, UNMAS is ready to implement and coordinate mine action emergency responses in northern Mali whenever needed. The close cooperation and coordination with PC and PoC section is crucial to ensure prioritization of resources, in order to initiate a rapid response to humanitarian emergencies. Assistance is also provided to the victims and their families when an accident takes © MAG place through the support of Handicap International.

Furthermore, MAG redoubles efforts to include vulnerable persons. Door-to-door sessions were organized in order to reach less mobile people such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, or mothers with young children who have less access to information about Explosive Remnants of War. Risk Education activities were also conducted with women's groups.

© DCA