Mine Clearance for Resettlement and Restoring Livelihoods

This project aims to remove about 10 000 anti-personnel mines in the Northern Province Sri Lanka. Some 300 000 people were displaced as a result of the 25-year civil war that ended in May 2009. Although most people have returned to their home areas in the North and East of the country about 43 000 people are still displaced. One of the reasons people are not able to return home is that there are still large numbers of landmines and other unexploded ordnance (such as bullets and improvised explosive devices) in some areas of the Northern Province. These landmines and other unexploded ordnance need to be located and destroyed before people can safely return home resume their previous occupations and live in safety and dignity. Project activities include locating and clearing landmines and other unexploded ordnance in five locations in Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts Northern Province Sri Lanka. This project benefits over 22 000 people including a number of female-headed households.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: 1) increased access to resettlement of internally displaced women men and children; 2) increased access to public services by conflict-affected women men and children; and 3) increased access to livelihood opportunities for conflict-affected women and men.