MAG has been delivering Risk Education to vulnerable groups across Libya since July 2011. These safety messages particularly target schoolchildren, who are the most likely to play with unexploded items and cause themselves harm or death.
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MAG has trained and deployed nine Community Liaison teams, as well as training staff from other organisations delivering Risk Education.
The threat of death and injury from explosive remnants of war (ERW) continues to hang over the population, but there are not enough risk educators in Libya to respond to the needs of the most affected communities.
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Some of those attending the three-day course on Mine/UXO and Small Arms Light Weapons risk education came from more than 1,000 kilometres away. |
The Ministry of Education, in conjunction with UNICEF and the international community, identified that teachers would be the best way to spread sustainable risk education messages to the most at-risk groups.
With an established presence in Zintan of risk education and ERW/mine clearance teams, MAG is responsible for training teachers at the Jabal El-Gharbi University College of Science in Zintan.
In February, a three-day course on Mine/UXO and Small Arms Light Weapons risk education was delivered by MAG’s Community Liaison Manger to 25 teachers and education inspectors and seven scout leaders.
The attendees came from many far-off locations, some from the far south of Libya, over 1,000 kilometres away.
“We came because there is a definite need for more risk educators within Libya to deal with the dangers of UXO and people’s behaviour in safeguarding the lives of our communities,” one participant told us.
During interactive sessions the attendees were active, interested and cooperative, expressing their keenness and interest in further saving lives and deliver risk education among their communities and at-risk population, especially children and young men.
Many also expressed the need for humanitarian mine action operations in their towns to facilitate risk education and to carry out clearance.
All attendees expressed their gratitude to MAG, the Ministry of Education and National Transitional Council. MAG will continue to train teachers and participate in government-led initiatives to spread risk education messages.
MAG Libya thanks the following donors for providing support to its Risk Education work in Libya: UNHCR; UKaid/ Department for International Development; Government of Spain/AECID; Government of Canada/ DFAIT; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
13 March 2012
See also:
MAG's response to the Libya crisis
Libya one year on: The battle against cluster bombs, landmines and UXO (14 February 2012)
Starting the school year with Risk Education (1 February 2012)
Now children carry flyers, not UXO, in Zintan (7 November 2011)
Other resources:
Landmine & Cluster Munition Monitor – Libya profile
Donor websites:
Government of Canada/DFAIT
Government of Spain/AECID
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
UK Department for International Development
UNHCR
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