Protection of Civilians from Ieds: Risk Education and Other Methods

Protection of Civilians from IEDs: Risk education and other methods

UN verified data for 2019 shows that, of the 10,173 child casualties in armed conflict, 25 per cent resulted directly from the use of IEDs, explosive remnants of war (ERW) and landmines (SG Report A/75/175 2020)

In 2018, children made up more than half (54%) the civilian casualties of landmines and ERW in the world. Of this total, IEDs were the second cause of child casualties. IEDs alone caused one third (33%) of all child casualties, 5% more than in 2017 (Landmine Monitor 2019). IED ATTACKS ON CHILDREN (SG REPORT A/75/175)

Attacks using IED resulted in 1,215 child casualties in 2019 in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Iraq, Mali, Nigeria, the Philippines, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and the State of Palestine.

From Jul. 2018 - Dec. 2019, IEDs were used in attacks on schools (66 incidents) and hospitals (22 incidents) and in the denial of humanitarian access (14 incidents) in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, Somalia and Syria

From 2018 to 2019, a total of 57 children, of which 45 (79%) were girls, were used and killed as carriers for attacks using person-borne devices (PBIEDs) in north-eastern Nigeria alone. Two types of IED Risks

IED Attacks IED Accidents (Intentional explosions) (Unintentional explosions) 3,789 IED casualties in 2018 (LM 2019) Improvised Explosive IEDs thrown, fired from the ground or sea, Mines* Remnants of War or dropped from the air • Unexploded IEDs • improvised grenade, rocket, mortar; • Antipersonnel • Abandoned IEDS barrel bomb, etc. incl. booby traps • Antivehicle Command-detonated IEDs IEDs that failed to • Roadside bombs explode as intended • Time Bombs In some contexts: or that have been • Person-Borne IEDs (PBIEDs) hard to distinguish! abandoned. • Vehicle-Borne IEDs (VBIEDs) • Etc.

*Anti-personnel mines of an improvised nature = Victim-Operated IEDs Risk of IED Accident Risk of IED Attack

Title of Presentation – UNICEF | for every child IED RISK EDUCATION

In 2019, UNICEF supported IEDRE in Afghanistan, Colombia, Chad, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen and Palestine

3.8 million children received IED risk education IED RISK EDUCATION METHODS

IED RE methods to reach civilians for knowledge/behaviour change to address the risk of IED accidents are not different from other EORE methods

However, some IED specificities need to be considered: - IEDs do not look like weapons - Their diversity has no limit - Their appearance may change constantly - Complexity of messaging for booby traps in urban areas EORE/IEDRE EFFECTIVENESS

Appropriate Targeting RE Messages Delivery Knowledge Behaviour Safety Increased Logistics Change Change Less Casualties Adapted from DFID’s Approach to VfM (2011) Syria, MoH Syria, MoE

Title of Presentation – UNICEF | for every child WHAT WORKS?

1. Increase in detected devices? →Yes, can be monitored 2. Decrease in number of casualties? →Yes, possible but attribution is difficult or impossible to measure 3. Which measures proved to be most effective? → Well-prioritized and targeted interventions (incl. use of injury surveillance data) → Messages/tools/activities well pre-tested → Use of multiple channels (interpersonal + mass messaging) → Communities are engaged (incl. digital engagement) → Feedback mechanisms are used OTHER METHODS (OTHER THAN RISK EDUCATION)

UNICEF is engaged in:

- Victim Assistance (8 countries) - Advocacy IHL (APMBC, CCW, EWIPA) - Advocacy IHRL (CRPD, CRC) - Other Risk Reduction activities (e.g. Sri Lanka) INNOVATION

 RE Mobile application (e.g. Myanmar)  RE through Virtual Reality (e.g. Ukraine)  RE through U-Report (SMS, Facebook and Viber )  Gradual rapprochement with RCCE sector PARTNERSHIPS

 EORE Advisory Group  International MRE Working Group → Subscribe here: https://dgroups.org/groups/imrewg  Mine Action Area Of Responsibility (and other AORs: Child Protection, Education)  UN Whole of System IED Task Force  IMAS Review Board  Mine Action Support Group  New collaboration with RCCE sector, Private sector (incl. social media)