Kyiv, 1 September 2014 – UNICEF Ukraine in partnership with Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine and State Emergency Service has launched education campaign on the risk of mines and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) aimed at protecting children and families from the consequences of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
“The State Emergency Service of Ukraine continues to clear the liberated territories from mines and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. Thus, since 6 July 2014, 16,562 items of ordinance were found and removed. The lack of information about the danger of mines and UXOs puts the life of children and adults who live in the liberated territories at risk,” – said Hryhoriy Marchenko, Director of Emergency Response Department of State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
In the beginning of the school year 2,000 schools in Donetsk and Luhansk oblast will receive sets of information materials, including posters, leaflets both for children and for parents, as well as an animated video. The campaign will reach around 600,000 children and 200,000 parents through schools as well as local offices of State Emergency Service in Donetsk and Luhansk oblast.
Pavlo Polyanskyy, Deputy Minister of Education and Science said: “The Ministry of Education has also produced and published methodological guidelines for teachers on how to communicate the risks and danger of unexploded ordinance to children. As children’s safety and protection is our priority Mine Risk Education campaign is a an integral part of academic programmes in Donetsk and Luhansk oblast as well as secondary schools all over the country.”
Giovanna Barberis, UNICEF Representative in Ukraine added: “It is our obligation to ensure the safety and security of all school aged children and their parents in and around learning spaces and schools. No child should ever suffer the consequences of the armed conflict.”