Protection of civilians in Syria through Explosive Ordnance Assessment Support The overall aim of the UNMAS Syria Response Programme (SRP) is to minimize the threat of explosive ordnance for communities most at risk through effective sector coordination and the implementation of humanitarian mine action activities in line with the Humanitarian Response plan strategic objective 1: “Save Lives” and strategic objective 2: “Enhance Protection”, and fully aligning with the Protection sector objective # 4 to “reduce the impact of explosive hazard”. UNMAS SRP will provide an Explosive Ordnance Assessments (EOA) capacity in Damascus and Rural Damascus through non-technical and technical means of survey in order to support the safe implementation of humanitarian operations.

1) This project is designed as such that UNMAS SRP will work in the selected locations in Damascus and  Rural Damascus in line with the Protection sector’s severity scales matching mine action priorities and for which locations also overlap with the already approved Governorate of Syria (GoS) list where access is granted. 1 Sub District in Damascus and  5 Sub-districts in Rural Damascus are listed in the "locations" tab.

2) Since 2019, UNMAS has been in constant discussions with the GoS mine action counterparts concerning potential survey/clearance locations.
These locations have been selected by UNMAS based on the Humanitarian Need Overview (HNO) severity scale. During the weekly/Bi weekly meeting between UNMAS and GoS have mutually agreed on high-priority locations, of which match the Protection sector’s severity scales. Accordingly, the proposed locations in this proposal have already been officially approved by GoS, thus ensuring UNMAS’ access. 

3) This EOA Team (EOAT) will be an extension of existing EOAT funded by SHF 2020 1st standard allocation. The EOAT has been working on-site in Rural Damascus since Aug 2020. This SHF funding will be used to extend this EOAT beyond current funding expiry of 2021 3Q. This grant would enable continuation of the activities in line with humanitarian priorities.

4) The EOA has two main components as part of its work process, Non-Technical Survey (NTS) and Technical Survey (TS). NTS covers the gathering of information through focused discussions with people that would have information on the location to ascertain the weapon platforms used and potential scope of contamination. The TS will enable the team to do an intrusive search into the area/infrastructure and confirm physically the absence/presence of explosive ordnance. Both components of the process are required to complete the assessment.

5) When and if explosive ordnance items are found and identified, the team will ascertain if they are remnants/parts that no longer contain any active explosive component, or are abandoned items of ordnance that have not been primed or fused, and therefore do not present a danger when moved. These items will be removed from the area/infrastructure and UNMAS will liaise with competent national authorities to have these handed over for destruction. If during the EOA work, items of explosive ordnance are found that cannot be moved, then the area will be marked as “unsafe” to caution safety of any humanitarian organizations’ work in the areas.

6) Contamination data and information will be uploaded in the UNMAS Information Management System for Mine Action (IMSMA), analyzed and made available for further sharing with the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and Area HCT and humanitarian community, including the mine action sub-sector (MASS) and other sector members. 

7) The EOA is a critical enabler for safe delivery of humanitarian aid, access to basic services such as hospitals, schools, and water collection points, provides the basis for early recovery efforts such as safe and regaining usage of agricultural land, thus enabling the socio-economic independence of communities.

8) The 10 personnel of the EOAT (5 internationals and 5 nationals, Budget item 1.1-1.7) are 100% dedicated to this project.