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Click above to read the female deminers in their own words. |
Ahead of International Women's Day 2011 on March 8th, we profile the members of MAG Sri Lanka’s all-female Mine Action Team.
Periyapandivirichchan |
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In many areas where MAG works, women have few opportunities to generate income for their families, and MAG gives women the opportunity to be involved in the clearance of landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO). In the Sri Lanka team, all the women are their family’s main bread-earner.
Employing and training women, and proving their ability to undertake demanding work in difficult conditions, raises their status in the community and, in time, should help encourage other employers to hire female staff.
This Mine Action Team is currently working in Periyapandivirichchan, Mannar District, alongside other clearance teams. The people of the village, like many thousands of others, faced great difficulties during the civil war and for more than a year lived in emergency camps for internally displaced people (IDPs).
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"We were all having lunch together when shelling started. My husband was hit on the head with shrapnel and died instantly. Our daughter was only two days old. I hope I will be able to provide a better future for her... and I think MAG can help me do that." |
Though the conflict ended in May 2009, the presence of remnants of conflict prevented their safe return.
Now, a total of 515 people – from 147 families – have been able to resettle onto the areas cleared in Periyapandivirichchan by MAG since December 2009, and development agencies have been able to safely access the area and assist the population, helping them to rebuild their homes and their lives.
With the Government aiming to resettle all those displaced by the conflict by the end of 2011, MAG’s work in removing the threat for returnees is absolutely vital to their safe return – and to the subsequent process of rebuilding their livelihoods.
MAG thanks the following current donors for their support to the Sri Lanka programme: AusAID; Canadian International Development Agency; The Kirby Laing Foundation; Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement, US Department of State; Stichting Vluchteling; UKaid (UK Department for International Development).
This year's International Women's Day is themed 'Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women'. For more information, visit www.internationalwomensday.com.
1 March 2011
See also:
D.R. CONGO: Independent woman
Why does MAG work in Sri Lanka?
Latest news and case studies from MAG Sri Lanka
International Women's Day website
More MAG slideshows
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