Assistance for "Crossing the Bridge of Peace: Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security in Sudan" Project

June 12, 2006

On the 12th of June (Monday), the Government of Japan and the United Nations (UN) decided to extend assistance totalling 1,745,436.00 US dollars (approximately 193.74 million yen), through the Trust Fund for Human Security to a project entitled "Crossing the Bridge of Peace: Victim Assistance and Mine Risk Education for Human Security in Sudan" that will be implemented by the United Nations Mine Action Services (UNMAS), the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
During the long period of war, large numbers of landmines were used to protect towns in southern and central Sudan, which have impeded swift local development after the comprehensive peace agreement of January 2005 between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement. This project aims at establishing a basis for community-based initiatives to address the threats posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war. The following activities will be implemented:
- Organizing workshops to develop a national strategy and work plan for victim assistance involving relevant stakeholders such as government officials, NGOs and landmine survivors;
- Conducting needs assessment of landmine victims in order to provide community based vocational training;
- Providing mine risk education for individuals and communities to minimize the risk of landmines;
- Organizing a photography exhibition in Khartoum to raise public awareness of mine action activities.
This project is expected to protect people from the threats of landmines by providing them and their communities with a sense of ownership towards the abovementioned activities.

(Note)

The Trust Fund for Human Security was established in the United Nations Secretariat in March 1999 at the initiative of the Government of Japan. Since then, total contributions have reached approximately 31.5 billion yen (US$ 279.7 million). The Trust Fund has supported more than 150 projects from UN agencies, each one addressing various threats to human life, livelihood and dignity, from the perspective of human security.

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