1392 ACHIEVEMENTS AT A GLANCE (MARCH 21, 2013 - MARCH 20, 2014)

MINE ACTION PROGRAMME OF AFGHANISTAN (MAPA)

As the first year of Afghanistan’s Ottawa Extension Request workplan, 1392 was a landmark year for the Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan (MAPA). Under the first year of the work-plan, MAPA was expected to clear 79.16 Sq Km of contaminated land. In fact, the programme cleared and released 97.9 square kilometers of minefields and 20.7 square kilometers of bat-tlefields, a significant achievement.

MAPA achieved several other feats during 1392 and this document outlines just some of them. The credit goes to all those throughout the programme, who have each made their contribution to these achievements. We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to our generous donors and the supporters of the programme. We call upon all stakeholders to continue their support until our goal of making Afghanistan mine and ERW free by 2023 is achieved.

Here are some highlights of the Programme’s achievements during the year: In 1392, more than 82.8 Sq Km minefields were cleared and 15.1 Sq Km of the minefields were cancelled. 20.7 square kilometers of battlefields were searched. The following villages and districts are announced safe of known Mines/ERW:

70 villages in ten districts of Kandahar Province are released. The districts are namely: Panjwai, Zheray, Maiward, Khakraiz, Shah Wali Kott, Mahroof, Arghistan, Speen Boldak, and Daman.

Ten districts of Badakhshan Province were released. Districts are namely: Yawan, Jurm, Baharak, Khash, Teshkan, Kishim, Yaftal Sufla, Shahri Buzurg, Shuhada and Darayim.

Seven districts of Takhar Province were released. Districts are namely: Bangi, Dashte Qala, Kalafgan, Khwaja Bahaudin, Ishkamish, Warsaj and Yangi Qala.

Four districts in Hirat Province namely Enjeel District, Karokh, Chesht-e Sharif and Obe districts were released.

Three district in Jawzjan Province i.e. Qarqeen, Khanaqa and Aqcha districts were re-leased.

One district in Faryab Province i.e. Khan-i-Charbagh district was also released. Overall 314 villages in 33 districts were cleared from known Mines/ERW.

Further achievements of the year 1392 are as follows: Firing Range:

28 firing ranges covering 140,504,567 Sq meters have been newly surveyed 47. 3 Sq Km of firing-range areas were completely cleared and released.

Mines/ERW Impact Free Community Survey (MEIFCS): The MEIFCS project started in April 2012 and the 1392 achievements are:

9,741 communities were visited from gazetteer (452 impacted and 9,289 unknown) 12,615 communities were visited out of gazetteer 585 old hazards were newly recorded (covering 55.7 Sq Km area) 582 hazards were resurveyed which resulted in reduction of 9.8 Sq Km area 152 hazards with 12.4 Sq Km area were cancelled Over 13,000 different types of ERWs were destroyed by MEIFCS teams during the sur-

vey process

National Mine Action Symposium Qaser-e-Marmareen, Kabul– AFG

Asia EOD & C-IED Forum Bangkok, Thailand

Socialization of the Humanitarian Demin-ing Action Plan Workshop

Bogota, Columbia

Gender Mainstreaming in Mine Action Projects

Geneva, Swiss

Mine Action Day (April 4th) Loye-Jirga Tent, Kabul-AFG

Mine/ERWs Destroyed:

22,761 Anti Personnel mines , 1083 Anti Tank mines, 159 Abandoned Improvised Explosive Devices (AIED), 84,520 Small Arms Ammunitions (SAA) and 730,188 ERW devices were de-stroyed.

Mine/ERW Risk Education Training or Retraining:

584,665 people trained in Mine/ERW risk education 116,385 people re-trained in Mine/ERW risk education

Victim Assistance:

26,635 people received Disability Awareness and Advocacy Training (DAAT) 3,000 teachers, head masters, parents and children with disabilities received Inclusive Educa-

tion training sessions in Kabul Province. 100 children with disabilities are integrated into general schools in Kabul and other provinces. 240 health staff (Doctors, Nurses, Midwives and Community Health Supervisors) from 8 prov-

inces received disability awareness and physical rehabilitation training sessions. 15,000 copies of the Community Based Rehabilitation guidelines (with social, health and edu-

cation components) were printed and distributed. Strategy Development:

Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan with support of Gender and Mine Action Programme (GMAP) developed Gender Strategy. The strategy will help MAPA in mainstreaming gender into all of the main areas of mine action.

Mine Action Programme of Afghanistan with support of UN Mine Action Service New York developed Communications Strategy. The strategy will support to convey the goal of Afghani-stan Government, which is “Afghanistan Mine/ERW free by 2023”; and ensuring that all key audiences understand the goals outlined in the mission and are engaged to provide the spe-cific support required of them to be able to achieve this vision.

Projects Delivered:

63 Mine Action (Survey, Clearance, M/ERW RE, VA) projects were delivered during the year. Coordination and Support: As part of MAPA's continual contribution to global mine action, the Programme sent many of its professional and experienced representatives to different organizations and countries:

February 2014: MAPA sent its Quality Management expert to the Bosnian firm MacroHard Mechanic to share knowledge and expertise in managing mechanical demining.

October 2013: MAPA Chief of QM was invited to participate as one of the main trainers in a quality management workshop in which he shared his experience regarding QM, humanitar-ian demining, and planning and prioritization processes in Bogota Colombia.

November 2013: MACCA’s Mine Risk Education & Victim Assistance (MRE/VA) delegation visited the Kingdom of Cambodia along with their counterparts from the Government of Af-ghanistan. The exchange visit was an opportunity to share experiences and knowledge on victim assistance and mine risk education.

November 2013: MAPA participated in a two‐day demining workshop held in Bogota, Colom‐bia. Afghanistan shared their experience on how Afghanistan implement Humanitarian Mine Action through humanitarian implementing partners and also shared their experiences on producing a clearance plan for the Ottawa treaty extension request.

MACCA Awarded by UAE UAE Embassy, Kabul-AFG

Explosive Remnants of War found Kandahar Province, Afghanistan

Demining Machines are accredited Herat, Afghanistan

Blind girl learning Braille writing system Kabul, Afghanistan

Events & Workshops: MAPA celebrated the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action on April 4, 2013 in the Loya Jirga Tent, in Kabul. The Ceremony was attended by more than 2000 national and international participants. MACCA and Department of Mine Clearance, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, organized the Afghanistan Mine Action National Symposium to discuss the achievements of MAPA and the remaining challenges ahead. Representatives from the Afghan Government, the interna-tional community, civil society, the media and other interested parties attended the Symposium. MACCA’s Director presented MAPA's Achievements at the second edition of Asia’s leading Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C‐IED) and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Conference held in Bangkok, Thailand. The conference aims to provide first response networks with the most ad-vanced equipment and training to counter the increasing threat from IEDs and ERW. MAPA representatives joined the Organization for Security and Co‐operation in Europe (OSCE)’s Regional Conference. The Conference was conducted in Almaty, Kazakhstan from November 19-21, 2013. The conference was part of the OSCE’s efforts to provide mechanisms to encourage technical cooperation among the participating states in Central Asia to address the concerns and challenges stemming from explosive hazards. November 2013: Trial on assessing the productivity of Front End Loader (FEL) machines and follow up operations conducted. As a result some useful recommendations provided for further increasing the output and making sure of the quality of FEL ripping and follow up operations. MAPA in the media: In 1392, MAPA was reflected on national and international media outlets. Overall MAPA was-broadcasted through six TV channels, eleven Websites and six radio stations.

MAPA is supported by the following donors to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action administered by UNMAS: Australia, Canada, EU, Finland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Oman, UAE, and USA.

MAPA is also supported by the following through bilateral funding: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Government of Afghanistan, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, PATRIP, Sweden, UN OCHA, UAE, UK, and USA.

Gallant Afghan Deminers

District Handover Ceremony Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan

A Demining Team Paramedic during the field Operations

Kandahar, Afghanistan

H.E. Canadian Ambassador visit to MAPA

Kabul, Afghanistan