Today marks the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, observed worldwide to raise awareness of the dangers posed by landmines and to support global demining efforts.
According EDnews, the observance was established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 8, 2005, through the adoption of a special resolution.
The resolution calls on states, with the support of the United Nations and relevant institutions, to strengthen national mine action capacities in countries where landmines and explosive remnants of war continue to threaten civilian lives and hinder development.
The UN emphasizes that mine contamination not only endangers human life and health, but also obstructs social and economic recovery at both the national and local levels.
For Azerbaijan, the date carries particular significance.
The country remains among the states most heavily affected by landmine contamination, following nearly 30 years of Armenian occupation.
According to official figures, around 12% of Azerbaijan’s territory was contaminated with more than 1.5 million landmines.
Since 1991, landmines have claimed around 3,400 victims in Azerbaijan, including 362 children and young people and 38 women.
The threat has continued even after the end of the Second Karabakh War.
Since the war, 421 people in Azerbaijan have been affected by landmine explosions, including 72 fatalities and 349 individuals who sustained serious injuries.
Landmine contamination remains one of the biggest obstacles to reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in the Karabakh and East Zangazur economic regions.
It also continues to delay the safe and sustainable return of internally displaced persons to their native lands.
International Mine Awareness Day serves as a reminder that demining is not only a technical task, but also a humanitarian, developmental and security priority for countries affected by war and occupation.
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