Anti-mines action
Faced with the devastation caused by antipersonnel landmines, we soon realised that medical care alone would not be enough. Handicap International therefore made a commitment to the mine victims and their communities to help them, as far as possible, to lead a normal life. The organisation also carries out prevention work and political campaigning to stop the killing and maiming of farmers working the land or children on their way to school. Political action, healthcare, orthopaedic fitting, assistance, awareness raising and mine-clearance have become the corner stones of our anti-mine campaign.
Victim assistance
For victims mutilated by mine explosions, the road to recovery is long and finding their place in the community again difficult: healthcare, orthopaedic fitting, rehabilitation, psychological support as well as assistance with social and economic inclusion and support from local organisations all ensure that disabled people's rights are recognised
Mine-clearance
In Mozambique, in Bosnia and in Cambodia, landmines and unexploded ordnance are a latent danger. They block access to water and farmland and pose a threat to men, women and children. Humanitarian mine-clearance is the only way by which these threatened populations can go back to living a normal life. Handicap International intervenes directly or supports local teams who carry out technical surveys, produce mine location maps, delimit and mark minefields, destroy mines and prepare the land for use.
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Raising awareness
Knowing how to recognise a mine or how to behave when threatened by one can save lives. This kind of information is given to at-risk populations via Mine Risk Education Programmes (MRE). With presentations in schools and at public meetings and the distribution of brochures, Handicap International works on a national and regional level in 11 countries using the education system or traditional and religious networks.
The Ban
It soon became impossible for the organisation to limit itself to seeking humanitarian and technical solutions to the landmine problem and so Handicap International decided to campaign for a ban. The organisation is currently campaigning for the universal adoption of the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty and for a ban on cluster munitions.
The fight against mines and cluster bombs, click here
Contents
Our campaign
Say no to cluster bombs !
The cluster bombs : the story behind an exceptional campaign
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