Life-saving assistance through mine action for displacement and conflict affected communities in southern Yemen, Taiz (Mawsa), Al-Hudaydah (Al Khokha, Al Omaisy and Al Dawbalah) and Lahj  (Al Qabbaytah) governorates / Priority 3 In line with the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) 2021 for Yemen to provide “protection services to Yemenis in need through releasing contaminated land, disposing of unexploded ordnance and raising awareness of risks posed by mines”. DRC’s Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP) sector will seek to reduce the risk of displacement, reduce Explosive Ordnances (EO) related casualties, and facilitate early recovery, through training and deploying Multi-Task teams (MTT), Battle Area Clearance (BAC), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), Improvised Landmine search (ILM), and Non-Technical Survey (NTS) teams in to operate inTaiz Governorate-Mawsa District-Oashiqa, Al-Hamili and Mawsa subdistricts, Al-Hudaydah Governorate-Al Khokha, Al Omaisy and Al Dawbalah Districts and Lahj Governorate-Al Qabbaytah subdistrict-Kharsh village as per the Task Orders given to DRC by the Yemeni Mine Action Coordination Center (YMACC) . The operational implementation will fall under the land release process as a cost-efficient methodology to conduct mine action activities. 

DRC-HDP identified Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities as the main target group. More specifically, those groups living in accessible communities of Taiz, Al-Hudaydah and Lahj governorates (see districts and sub-districts mentioned above) where DRC-HDP has an established presence and has gathered significant evidence of the scale and type of contamination and its impact on the population. DRC-HDP expects to benefit roughly around 21,500 people, (7,000 approximately per Governorate) from EORE and NTS and by doing so attending the communities need to avoid accidents from EO. 

As part of the NTS process, DRC-HDP focuses on non-intrusive surveys to collect and analyze data about the presence, type, distribution, and surrounding environment of contamination. Where surveys indicate that contamination is present, clearance is carried out to remove the contamination in accordance to specified international and/or national standards. The Technical Survey is a detailed technical intervention using clearance or verification assets in a Suspected Hazardous Area (SHA). Although clearance assets are used, at this stage, it is only for the purpose of collecting/confirming information and providing clear indications of the type of methodology to be employed for the clearance of the surveyed area. 

BAC is undertaken for areas that have been subject to armed confrontation, and where no mines are suspected. Large areas - that are contaminated by EO, often remain, and need to be cleared. These EOs pose physical risks to communities in proximity and heighten risks to aid workers when the land is used. In many cases, the EO contamination is scattered and not found within defined battle areas. In such circumstances, it is not efficient to carry out widespread search/clearance on a ‘just in case’ basis. Instead, mine action programs establish mobile EOD teams to react to reports by the community of items of EO found in their area, which is what is proposed in this project..

DRC-HDP seeks to reduce the risk of injuries, disability and loss of life from explosive ordnance by raising awareness of women, girls, boys, and men. The proposed project will provide EORE sessions to vulnerable people through education and information sessions. DRC-HDP will develop messages and trainings designed to the target audience to increase awareness on safe behavior when living in contaminated areas.

Cross cutting themes in this year’s standard allocation outline the vital need for gender considerations as well as inclusion and consideration for the most marginalized groups. DRC Yemen will combine its localized expertise in protection mainstreaming as well as age, gender and diversity mainstreaming (AGDM) with DRC’s global expertise, to further strengthen efforts in the area of inclusion and diversity representation across all DRC sectors.