Mine action survey and risk education to communities at high-risk from conflict in south-central Taiz With YHF funding, HALO will mitigate immediate and ongoing risk to lives and livelihoods for vulnerable communities living close to current and former frontlines in Taiz. Yemen is one of the world’s most mine and explosive ordnance (EO) affected states, and Taiz among the worst impacted governorates. HALO will establish an office in Al Turba and deploy two non-technical survey (NTS) teams to survey conflict-affected communities in hard-to-reach, underserved areas with high severity of needs in Al Ma’afer, Ash Shamayatayn and Al Mawasit. Teams will concurrently deliver explosive ordnance risk education (EORE), mitigating immediate risks to life. Responding directly to HRP cluster targets, NTS teams will survey 1.5km2 of hazardous area and deliver EORE to 6,600 beneficiaries during nine months' deployment after a three-month mobilisation (see Annex A v2).

Activities will contribute to each HRP Strategic Objective by helping reduce casualty risks, providing specialist protection services and helping mitigate the impact of mines and EO on food and income security. This intervention will answer Priority 3 of the YHF 2021 Standard Allocation, addressing needs caused by recent displacement and conflict, in three of the districts where a protection need has been identified. A needs assessment informed project design. Desk-based assessments, field visits, and liaison with YEMAC Taiz branch indicate a high number of explosive incidents and threats in Taiz, and volunteer demining groups encountered indicate a severe lack of services. 

HALO will directly recruit and train two four-person, mixed-gender teams from the target districts in the first three months of the 12-month project. Mixed-gender teams will allow women and children to be accessed and served appropriately, and ensure women’s voices are heard during NTS. NTS reports will contribute to the Yemen Baseline Survey (YBS): a systematic district-by-district survey of south Yemen managed by YEMAC’s coordination cell YMACC. The YBS will establish the extent, type and location of mine and EO hazards in south Yemen, and form the basis of future mine action response. In line with international mine action standards, beneficiaries are not recorded for NTS activities (see Annex I), which are focused on land area targets. 

Teams will address the specific impact of mines and EO on women, children, IDPs and PwDs through tailored and responsive EORE messaging. NTS and community liaison inform prioritization, including specific needs of PwDs, so that activities are inclusive of all groups. The mobility of the teams will allow them to access remote or less mobile individuals. Though conflict-affected communities will be targeted primarily, EORE will also target a high proportion of IDPs (roughly 20% of estimated IDP population in the districts, and 30% of overall EORE beneficiaries) who face higher risk from mine and EO accidents. HALO estimates 10% of EORE beneficiaries will be PwDs, who can be accessed by household EORE delivery during the NTS process with tailored messaging. All beneficiaries and survey informants will be informed of HALO’s feedback and complaints mechanism, and beneficiary satisfaction will be monitored throughout activities. 

HALO has implemented NTS, EORE and baseline surveys in conflict-affected areas for decades, and ensures the highest standards of training, IM and quality control. Teams will not demobilise under the project but will continue activities under separate donor funding. HALO will grow its capacity in Taiz to provide follow-on clearance and EOD activities to fully mitigate mine and EO risks to communities. 

HALO will purchase vehicles and armour the underside to increase safety for teams, and ensure long-term value for money by reducing hire costs. HALO is mitigating operational and security risks by high international and senior national staff presence at location and field level, including successive steps of quality and risk management