International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

One of our generation’s biggest challenges is landmines still killing children around the globe.

One Mine One Life advocates for an additional United Nations 18 SDG Goal – A MINE-FREE WORLD
In March together with Svitlana Salamatova, I spoke at the United Nations in the name of thousands of humanitarians, deminers, peace activists and all those who support
demining action and the vision of a world without children suffering.

For decades, many brave people around the globe have done everything in their power to create a world free from landmines
– peace activists and anti-landmine activists, demining teams, demining organizations from all over the world, humanitarians and volunteers, risking their lives while bringing help and support in the most contaminated areas, often a place of current wars, landmine survivors who became an advocate and important voice in demining action.

I am deeply grateful to all of them and I feel very blessed that I had the privilege to work with many of them over the years.
One deminer is killed and two injured for every 5000 successfully removed mines.

Landmines continue to kill and injure civilians, destroy livelihoods, deny land use, and disrupt access to essential services in more than 60 countries and territories.

Anti-personnel mines violate one of the most important, non-negotiable human rights – to live and develop, and function without constant fear.

In 2021, more than three-quarters of recorded mine/ERW casualties were civilians where their status was known. Children accounted for half of all civilian casualties where the age was known.
More than 60 000 000 people every day live in fear of being killed or maimed by landmines.
We all deserve a world without landmines.
And as so many significant things were achieved in this world, I do not doubt that a future without these inhumane weapons is possible.

Landmines cause injuries and deaths of people all over the world every day. There are also newly planted landmines. It is estimated that up to 30 percent of Ukraine has been contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Mines cost between $3 and $30, but the cost of removing them is $300 to $1000.
Unexploded ordnance remains dangerous for a long period. People in France or Belgium still die from unexploded ordnance from World War I. Landmines have persisted in the ground for more than 100 years. People in Cambodia die from landmines that were waiting in the ground for 30 years before they exploded under the child’s feet. The same situation is in many countries around the globe. At least 60 known to be affected by landmines.

A mine-Free world needs to become a reality!

Join us and become an advocate for a world without inhumane weapons.

www.onemine-onelife.com