On the occasion of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on 4 April, Erik Tollefsen, the head of the weapons contamination unit for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said this:

More people today face danger from mines and unexploded ordnance than even two years ago, due to fighting in Ukraine and Ethiopia that has contaminated wide swaths of neighborhoods and farmland.

Life-altering injuries too many people have already suffered show how everyday activities like planting a garden or even walking in one’s community take on a deadly level of risk. Children are particularly vulnerable to the damage caused by these explosive weapons.

The effects of landmines and explosive remnants of war on people living in, returning to, or passing through contaminated areas will endure for years. More financial resources and equipment are needed to remove unexploded ordnance and to educate communities on how to protect themselves.