Mines Action Canada

October 2009

Explosive barriers…

• Landmines and cluster bombs hinder the development of communities and countries.

• MAC’s work supports the removal of explosive barriers to development by raising funds to support mine action in affected communities and training young people around the world to be effective community leaders.

www.minesactioncanada.org

The domino effect…• Cluster Munitions and Landmines have profound effects on development all

over the world.• October has several important international awareness days related to victim-

activated weapons that you can organize your events around. These include: - World Food Day, October 16 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, October

17 - Global Week of Disarmament, October 24-30

www.minesactioncanada.org

Explosive barriers…

• The vast majority of victims of landmines, cluster bombs and explosive remnants of war are civilians and not soldiers.

• Year after year, Landmine Monitor has reported that civilians account for 70 to 85 percent of casualties.

• This is not just during a conflict – most of the countries where casualties are reported are at peace.

www.minesactioncanada.org

The fall out…Uncleared landmines, cluster bombs

and explosive remnants of war are lethal barriers to economic growth and post-conflict recovery by:

- Slowing down or preventing the

repatriation of refugees and displaced people

- Hampering the provision of aid and relief services

- Further burdening a likely already overstretched health care system with the need to provide medical treatment for victims

- Depriving communities of their productive land

- Affecting access to economically important areas

www.minesactioncanada.org

The costs and consequences…• Landmine and cluster

bomb accidents may cost a family their breadwinner.

• Putting a burden on other members of the family to make up for lost income and/or provide ongoing care for the victim - if they survive.

• Children are often pulled out of schools to help with this burden or simply because the family can no longer afford it.

www.minesactioncanada.org

How you can break barriers!

• Encourage Canada to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions without delay!

• Contact your MP using MAC’s Write Now! e-tool.

• Stage a public stunt like drawing chalk silhouettes around members of the public to represent the civilian victims of cluster bombs and landmines.

www.minesactioncanada.org

Other Resources• Landmine Tools for Action, Canadian Physicians for Aid & Relief

(CPAR), http://www.toolsforaction.ca/landmines.asp • Video, Economic Costs of Landmine Proliferation, Canadian Red

Cross, http://www.redcross.ca/videos/economic.html• Video, Social Costs of Landmine Proliferation, Canadian Red

Cross, http://www.redcross.ca/videos/social.html • Make sure to check out MAC’s October e-news, Twitter and

Facebook for ideas for activities and simulations to help people understand what it means to live amongst landmines, cluster bombs and explosive remnants of war.

• Even Wars Have Limits campaign, Canadian Red Cross, http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=1945&tid=110

www.minesactioncanada.org