Background Information – UNMAS Syria Response
The extensive use of explosi...
Background Information – UNMAS Syria Response
The extensive use of explosive weapons during more than five years of conflict poses a grave threat to Syrians, humanitarian response operations, and livelihood activities. It is estimated that 5.1 million people are living in highly contaminated areas, with more than 2 million children directly exposed to the risk of explosive weapons. Explosive contamination from the conflict includes landmines, explosive remnants of war (ERW), improvised explosive devices (IEDs), artisanal mines, some of which are connected to booby traps, coalition unexploded ordnance, and cluster munitions.
The most recent UN protection assessment highlighted explosive hazards as the number two concern for the population. Mine Action is therefore a vital component in the Protection sector, with significant needs identified in 42 percent of the sub-districts across Syria. The removal and destruction of such hazards will contribute to the protection of civilians, access to basic services, the resumption of livelihood activities, and will reduce the risk of explosives being harvested and used for IEDs.
Following the passage of Security Council Resolution 2165, the UN Regional Humanitarian Coordinator requested UNMAS to deploy, as mine action was viewed as a humanitarian priority for the Syrian crisis. UNMAS deployed a team to southern Turkey in August 2015 and mine action is now fully integrated in the humanitarian response.
Since its deployment, UNMAS has been playing a pivotal role, providing overall coordination for the mine action sector and partners, technical support and oversight, and has supported direct implementation of clearance and risk education activities. UNMAS Syria has also sought to identify partners in Jordan to expand mine action activities from this hub for the “Whole of Syria” humanitarian response.
The international community and United Nations are under pressure to deliver humanitarian support to the most vulnerable people and support the repatriation (“return”) of civilians to the area as quickly as possible. However, the presence of ERW including IEDs has been hampering returns, humanitarian relief, and stabilization, reconstruction of infrastructures, livelihoods and local economic activities including agriculture, industries, trading and other socio-economic activities of local communities.
Planning operations and ensuring the programme has full support on implementation is a key objective for UNOPS and will be the primary responsibility of this position. The challenging implementation environment requires the support of a senior specialist as per the below functional description.