Humanitarian

The United Nations Mine Action Service implements Explosive Ordnance Risk Education as one of the five pillars of mine action globally. EORE aims to reduce injuries and fatalities by raising awareness and promoting behavioral change through public information campaigns, education, training, and community liaison. Activities include SMS campaigns to all mobile users, school-based initiatives, radio broadcasts, community workshops, and International Mine Awareness Day events (April 4). UNMAS utilizes a two-way communication approach - communities inform organizations about contamination locations while organizations advise on cleared/hazardous areas. In Iraq alone, UNMAS reached 18,015 people with EORE in 2025 while removing 506 IEDs and 18,277 ERW items.

The HALO Trust conducts comprehensive mine risk education in over 30 countries, reaching over 1 million people annually. In 2022 alone, HALO conducted 71,949 EORE classes educating 1,055,653 adults and children. Programs teach identification of explosives, high-risk locations (former military trenches), warning signs/markings, and reporting procedures. Special attention targets children through puppet shows and card games, as unexploded bombs can resemble toys. In Syria, HALO has safety trained 708,369 people since 2016 using innovative approaches including online campaigns. Evaluation found 92.7% of people near clearance sites reported increased physical security, with 87.8% reporting improved livelihoods.

The Mines Advisory Group implements gender and age-appropriate, context-specific risk education across conflict-affected regions including Cambodia, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, South Sudan, and Vietnam. Since 1989, MAG has helped over 20 million people in 70 countries. Community liaison teams assess contamination levels and prioritize areas of greatest need, informing communities about clearance activities and follow-up requirements. Programs use engaging methods like puppet shows, coloring sheets, songs, and dances to teach children to recognize landmines, report dangerous items, and respond in emergencies. The approach emphasizes behavioral change to reduce risk-taking that leads to accidents.

UNICEF provides mine risk education to children in Syria through child-friendly spaces, specialized centers, and self-learning programs. In Mabrouka camp (north-eastern Syria), over 600 children participated in MRE sessions before families returned to heavily contaminated areas like Deir-ez-Zor and Ar-Raqqa. In Aleppo, UNICEF supports MRE for children with disabilities using sign language, demonstrating inclusive approaches. The Educate A Child Self-Learning Program in Qaramel village offers MRE to 230 children from nine villages alongside catch-up education. With 2.4 million Syrian school-aged children out of school and thousands of schools damaged, MRE integration into education programs reaches vulnerable populations.

Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) conducts Explosive Ordnance Risk Education across mine-affected communities in countries like Palestine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and conflict zones globally. Since 1992, NPA has cleared over one billion square meters of land and removed 2+ million landmines across 45 countries. Beyond traditional EORE, NPA implements innovative Conflict Preparedness and Protection (CPP) programs that teach self-protection during active conflict, including how to prevent injuries from explosive weapons and adopt safer behaviors during and after attacks. In Palestine, EORE is delivered through accredited national NGO partners, building local capacity.

DanChurchAid launched EORE in Ukraine immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, recognizing the country as heavily contaminated with mines and ERW. The "Watch Your Step!" program (June-December 2022) trained Explosive Ordnance identifiers among first responders including firefighters and foresters in collaboration with State Emergency Service Ukraine. Materials include posters, leaflets, animated cartoons, a board game, and online training for teachers. DCA supports community-led initiatives through flexible small grants to local organizations, enabling contextually appropriate responses. The goal is safe return for internally displaced people and community reconstruction.

DCA's "Enabling a Safe Future through EORE in South Sudan" (2025) targets Magwi County, where decades of conflict left extensive land contamination. The $159,486 project expects to reach 23,000+ children and adults with tailored EORE sessions in schools and communities. Key innovations include training 400 Community Focal Points and 600 Peer-Risk Educators to ensure sustainability; 10 drama clubs and 10 EORE wall murals for culturally relevant messaging; radio broadcasts reaching remote areas; and "Sport for Peace" events fostering social cohesion. The project strengthens victim referral pathways and measures behavioral change through baseline/endline surveys.

The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining serves as secretariat for the EORE Advisory Group, launched in 2019 with 15+ organizations including UN agencies, international NGOs, and national mine action authorities. Co-chaired by UNICEF and rotating NGO (currently HALO Trust), the AG provides global guidance to improve EORE integration, effectiveness, and relevance. GICHD offers e-learning courses ("Introduction to EORE Essentials" and "Advanced EORE") in Arabic, English, French, and Ukrainian to build practitioner capacity worldwide. Research focuses on innovative EORE solutions and addressing challenges like funding gaps, localization, and disability inclusion.

The Cambodian Mine Action Centre, established in 1992, conducts mine awareness campaigns in a country with 4-6 million buried mines/UXO from conflicts dating to the 1960s. CMAC's community-based education, supported by Peace Boat's P-MAC since 1998, has contributed to dramatic casualty reduction - from 600 monthly casualties in 1992 to 56 in 2000, and further 94% reduction from 1,249 casualties in 1998 to 77 in 2019. P-MAC has funded clearance of 1.7 million square meters and construction of schools/health centers in cleared areas. Awareness methods include community workshops, school programs, and integration with returnee repatriation.

The UN Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan, established in 1988, manages humanitarian demining in one of the world's most heavily mined countries (10-15 million landmines). The community-based mine awareness program has delivered briefings to over 3.2 million people within Afghanistan and in refugee camps. Multiple NGOs conduct training including the Afghan Mine Awareness Agency (AMAA), Afghan Red Crescent Society, Handicap International, and Save the Children-USA. Since 1989, over 18 million landmines have been cleared, freeing 3,011+ km² and benefiting 3,000+ rural communities. Association for Aid and Relief Japan has supported EORE since 2002, adapting to address IEDs in ongoing conflict.