Fatimetu is a Sahrawi deminer clearing minefields in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm. She is one of the many unsung heroes that risks her life every day to make other peoples’ lives safer. She works far away from her family in remote environments, always in the search of deadly devices no one else wants to encounter. Her colleagues have unanimously described her as a strong and determined woman, always ready to give her best and lead her team against all odds. Often criticised for doing what is still considered a “man’s job”, Fatimetu stresses the need to employ more women in mine action. Through perseverance, determination and a belief in a better future, she wakes up every day to fight for a world in which her 2-year old child can live safe and in peace. UNMAS, in line with the UN and UNMAS gender strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals, continues to encourage gender equality in mine action and peace operations, like the case of Fatimetu. Photo Credit: Norwegian People’s Aid
Fatimetu is a Sahrawi deminer clearing minefields in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm. She is one of the many unsung heroes that risks her life every day to make other peoples’ lives safer. She works far away from her family in remote environments, always in the search of deadly devices no one else wants to encounter. Her colleagues have unanimously described her as a strong and determined woman, always ready to give her best and lead her team against all odds. Often criticised for doing what is still considered a “man’s job”, Fatimetu stresses the need to employ more women in mine action. Through perseverance, determination and a belief in a better future, she wakes up every day to fight for a world in which her 2-year old child can live safe and in peace. UNMAS, in line with the UN and UNMAS gender strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals, continues to encourage gender equality in mine action and peace operations, like the case of Fatimetu. Photo Credit: UNMAS
Peacekeeping is about those unknown people on the ground dedicating their lives unconditionally for a better world. “There is nothing like fighting for a peaceful world, especially if you can do it next to the person you love,” says Ambarka, a female Sahrawi deminer who met her husband Hamada, an UNMAS medic, working in minefields in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm. As in the case of Ambarka, UNMAS, in line with the UN and UNMAS gender strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals, continues to encourage gender equality in mine action and peace operations. Photo Credit: Safelane Global Limited.
Peacekeeping is about those unknown people on the ground dedicating their lives unconditionally for a better world. “There is nothing like fighting for a peaceful world, especially if you can do it next to the person you love,” says Ambarka, a female Sahrawi deminer who met her husband Hamada, an UNMAS medic, working in minefields in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm. As in the case of Ambarka, UNMAS, in line with the UN and UNMAS gender strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals, continues to encourage gender equality in mine action and peace operations. Photo: UNMAS
UNMAS turns minefields into playing fields. Since 2008, UNMAS has released over 147 million square meters of land in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm.
Since 2008, UNMAS has found and destroyed nearly 40,000 landmines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war (ERW) in the Territory of Western Sahara. Photo: UNMAS
UNMAS has provided ERW Awareness Briefings to over 3,200 MINURSO personnel in the Territory of Western Sahara. Photo: UNMAS
UNMAS supports the capacity enhancement efforts of the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO). Thanks to these collaborative efforts, SMACO will in due time be able to coordinate humanitarian mine action activities independently in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm, in accordance to International and Local Mine Action Standards (I/LMAS). Photo: UNMAS
Landmines and other explosive remnants of war are a brutal legacy of armed conflict that continue to impact peoples’ lives in Tifarity, a locality situated in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm. As recent as March 2019, a local Sahrawi informed UNMAS about the presence of a sub-munition in an area inhabited by families, only 2 kilometres away from the local school. Thus far, UNMAS has delivered Risk Education to almost 26,000 local and nomadic people. Thanks to these efforts, children and their families can recognize landmines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war and know how to behave safely when encountering explosive ordnance. Photo Credit: UNMAS
Although a ceasefire was signed in 1991 under the auspices of the United Nations, the Territory of Western Sahara remains heavily contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). No direct armed confrontation has taken place in almost 30 years; however, ever since, the local population has been living in constant fear of these invisible deadly devices. This can be felt particularly in Tifarity, a heavily contaminated locality where families are prevented from living a dignified life. Thanks to UNMAS, over 147 million square meters of hazardous areas have been released to date, enabling the children of localities such as Tifarity to live and play safely again. Photo Credit: UNMAS
In the Territory of Western Sahara, UNMAS is the mine action component of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Since 2008 to date, UNMAS has played a critical role in the Mission’s mandate delivery. Thus far, UNMAS has released over 147 million square meters of previous recorded hazardous areas in the Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm, as safe from explosive hazards. As a result, nearly 40,000 landmines, cluster munitions and explosive remnants of war (ERW) have been found and destroyed. In addition, UNMAS also delivers ERW Awareness Briefings to MINURSO military and civilian personnel, contributing to a safer environment for peacekeeping operations. Until now, UNMAS has provided ERW Awareness Briefings to over 3,200 MINURSO military and civilian personnel. Photo: UNMAS
UNMAS in the Territory of Western Sahara supports the capacity enhancement of the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO). Thanks to these collaborative efforts, SMACO will in due time be able to coordinate humanitarian mine action activities independently. On 6 January 2019, SMACO destroyed the final declared stockpile of 2,485 anti-personnel mines of the Frente POLISARIO in Mehaires (Territory of Western Sahara, east of the berm). The destruction took place in the presence of local Sahrawi dignitaries, Geneva Call and other international representatives. With the final declared stockpile destroyed, the Frente POLISARIO complied with its obligations under Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment to Ban Anti-Personnel Mines. On 4 April 2019, UNMAS celebrated the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action in the Territory of Western Sahara by attending the official inauguration of the offices of the Sahrawi Mine Action Coordination Office (SMACO). UNMAS delive Photo Credit: Geneva Call
