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The United Nations' International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed on April 4 each year. This day aims to raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication.

Background

On 8 December 2005, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared that April 4 of each year would be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It was first observed on April 4, 2006.

It called for continued efforts by states, with assistance from the UN and relevant organizations, to help establish and develop national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive war remnants constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of people, or hinders social and economic development at the national and local levels.

According to the Landmine Monitor Report 2005, 84 countries were affected by landmines and unexploded ordnance, which together kill or maim between 15,000 and 20,000 adults and children annually. The UN works together with countries to find and destroy these devices. It also helps to provide various mine-action services in many countries.

What do people do


Awareness programs and activities to mark the day take place in many countries around the world on April 4 every year. Activities for these awareness-raising events include photo exhibits, press conferences, film screenings, educational displays and community chats. Public events may include public statements from land mine surivivors, mine action theatre performances and mine risk education demonstrations.

The day aims to raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication. "Mine action" refers to a range of efforts to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war and to mark and fence off dangerous areas. It also includes assisting victims, teaching people how to remain safe in a mine-affected environment, advocating for universal participation in international treaties related to landmines, explosive remnants of war and their victims, and destroying landmines stockpiled by governments and non-state armed groups.

4 April 2009. On the occasion of International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called upon all country members to do everything possible to protect their citizens from dangers of explosive remnants of military conflicts.

UN Secretary-General Message:


“I have visited many countries that face the scourge of landmines. I have seen the devastation caused by these indiscriminate weapons, which hamper reconstruction, damage the environment and cause grievous injuries and death for decades after conflicts end. Conditions may vary from Iraq to Sudan, from Lebanon to Zimbabwe, from Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What doesn’t change is the threat to life and limb.

Facing these dangerous conditions, mine action workers risk their lives to rid land and roads of mines. Over the past two decades, United Nations assistance in mine action has reached more than 50 countries and territories. Recently, United Nations mine action specialists were among the first international workers to resume humanitarian activities in Gaza, where explosive remnants of war pose significant threats

Beyond removing weapons, mine action means ensuring a safe environment for civilians, developing local capacity and restoring dignity to survivors through job opportunities and other reintegration programmes.


Mine action also means adherence to the relevant legal instruments, including the Anti-personnel Mine Ban Convention, Protocol V on explosive remnants of war and the recently adopted Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Second Review Conference of the Mine Ban Convention, to be held later this year in Cartagena, Colombia, offers an opportunity to renew commitment to the treaty and to mine action efforts around the globe.

My fervent hope is that the world will one day be free from the threats caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war. But it will take concerted collective efforts on all fronts to realize this goal. On this International Day, let us renew our commitment to carrying out this life-saving work”.