MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is a neutral and impartial humanitarian organisation clearing the remnants of conflict for the benefit of communities worldwide. MAG is co-laureate of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for its work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), which culminated in the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty - the international agreement that bans antipersonnel landmines, sometimes referred to as the Ottawa Convention.
MAG moves into current and former conflict zones to clear the remnants of those conflicts, enabling recovery and assisting the development of affected populations. MAG consults with local communities and works to lessen the threat of death and injury, while releasing reclaimed and safe land and other vital resources back to the local population, helping countries to rebuild and develop their social and economic potential.
MAG has worked in around 35 countries since 1989 and currently has operations in Angola, Burundi, Cambodia, Chad, Cyprus, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Lao P.D.R., Lebanon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Vietnam.
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MAG Community Liaison staff present a mine and UXO-risk education session at Magwi primary school in Sudan. |
MAG's objectives
• To save lives and build futures by implementing innovative solutions for conflict-affected communities.
• To enable governments and institutions to address the needs of conflict-affected communities through funding MAG’s activities.
• To work with partners who share our impact-driven approach to enable people to escape from poverty caused by conflict.
• To create awareness and secure public contributions to help us to provide an effective response to the wider problems caused by the presence of remnants of conflict.
In order to reach our overall objective of saving lives and building futures, MAG’s approach is progressive, enabling, responsive and impact-driven.
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Clearing the threat of death and injury enables communities – such as here in Sri Lanka – to get on with their daily lives. |
How MAG works
MAG helps people affected by conflict by providing local know-how, physical clearance of remnants of conflict, education, training and employment of local partners to rebuild their communities.
MAG provides solutions in both clearance and education, using a variety of methods including employment, metal detecting, minefield and ordnance marking, sniffer dogs, large machinery, destruction of small arms and light weapons, new technologies and much more, all of which contributes to removing the threat of poverty caused by the presence of the remnants of conflict.
Making an impact
Landmines, unexploded ordnance and uncontrolled small arms and light weapons caches restrict people’s access to education, healthcare facilities, water and land for cultivation. They hinder links between communities and restrict local trade.
In addition, fear of death and injury has a negative impact on those who live, work and grow up amidst the danger of a contaminated environment. By clearing these threats MAG helps to achieve long-term and sustainable development objectives.
Talking to communities
MAG’s Community Liaison teams work closely with communities that are at risk, to find out how the contamination caused by remnants of conflict is affecting their daily lives. With the information the communities provide MAG can choose the most appropriate response.
Expert technical staff advise which method of clearance suits the terrain, but the anticipated impact of the work is determined in conjunction with the local community, partner NGOs and local and national authorities.
Removing obstacles
By removing remnants of conflict blocking access to emergency aid, social services, agriculture and trade both the social and economic potential of a community is improved.
For MAG, the emphasis is not on the number of items removed or number of square metres cleared but we strategically concentrate the activities where the impact will benefit the communities the most. Clearance of these obstacles leads to:
• Safe access to water, shelter and food.
• Safer movement of population, internally displaced persons or refugees.
• Safer routes between communities creating potential for new or renewed trade.
• Safe land for agricultural development and farming.
• Safe land for construction or reconstruction of housing, schools, health centres and other infrastructure.
• Boosting the local economy through the employment of national staff from the affected communities.
MAG is funded through donations and grants from the general public, governments, the European Union and trusts and foundations. MAG is a signatory of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Code of Conduct and is registered as a charitable company in the United Kingdom.