Contact person: Nguyen Thi Thanh An – Specialist - Mine Action Project
Tel: (84.4) 9425706
Fax: (84.4) 9425705
Email: nttan@unicef.org
Within the UN system, UNICEF has been designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the UN focal point for UXO/Mine Risk Education (MRE) for children and adults. Pursuant to this mandate, UNICEF Viet Nam initiated its UXO/mine education and awareness projects in 2002.
Among the key actors for mine action in Vietnam, UNICEF has played a leading role in Mine Risk Education (MRE). Up to end of 2005, UNICEF supported MRE through mass media such as TV and radio reportages, TV spots, articles on national and local newspapers on national and local channels. In addition, child-to-child and community based MRE activities were conducted to raise public awareness in affected provinces of Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Hien Hue and some Central Highland provinces.
In 2006, UNICEF Vietnam approved a separated project titled Mine Action to reduce the incidence and severity of injuries caused by UXO/landmine for the period 2006-2010.
UNICEF Vietnam’s Mine Action project aims at improved national response to mine action in the areas of mine risk education and advocacy through improved skills and knowledge about Mine Risk Education; better public understanding about the UXO/landmine situation in Vietnam, both domestically and internationally, and better coordination of Mine Action by strengthening the linkages between MRE and other components of the Mine Action. In addition, the project also aims that the population over 6 years of age in affected areas is aware of UXO/mine risks and empowered to take preventative measures through effective education and training including mass media, community-based mine risk education, school-based mine risk education; and the marking of risk areas. The project is implemented in six provinces of Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri & Thua Thien Hue.
Key activities include:
- Training and capacity building for government staff and project collaborators in Mine Action in general and MRE in particular and project management.
- Piloting of coordination for mine action at provincial level.
- Localisation of international standards for mine risk education.
- Community based and child to child mine risk education.
- Multi-media activities and IEC materials.
- Mine risk education mainstreamed in schools.
- Training for health workers in injury data collecting, recording and reporting, and first aids.
For further information, please visit http://www.unicef.org/vietnam/
