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<p>Since 2017 my Department has spent over £49million on programmes that reduce the
impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW). As set out in the UK’s policy
document on mine action, this includes abandoned improvised explosive devices.</p><p>My
Department measures the impact of mine action programmes by the amount of land released
and available for productive use, rather than the number of devices removed, and through
the number of beneficiaries of mine risk education. Programmes deliver life-saving
mine risk education sessions to ensure communities living in some of the most heavily
contaminated places in the world understand the dangers of landmines and ERW. Since
2017, we have supported over 17,000 mine risk education sessions benefitting nearly
400,000 boys, girls, men and women.</p><p>The mine action programme releases land
in some of the most heavily contaminated countries in the world, ensuring communities
can to return to their homes, travel safely to school and work, and farm their own
land. In Iraq the removal of mines and improvised devices is enabling the return of
displaced people to areas liberated from Daesh, where civilians are returning voluntarily
to find their homes and public facilities significantly contaminated by abandoned
improvised explosive devices.</p><p>The UK also supports national mine action authorities
to manage their clearance of their own contamination more efficiently including training
staff on quality assurance techniques and improving national mine action databases
to make the most effective use of resources and ensure the most vulnerable communities
have their land cleared.</p>
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