Every year on April 4th, International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action seeks to raise awareness about landmines and the dangers they pose. It’s also a day to discuss the importance of eradicating landmines.
Every year many lives are lost due to hidden underground dangers. These hidden dangers are called landmines. Though these landmines were buried decades ago, they continue to cause death and destruction. According to statistics from UNICEF, landmines kill or injure up to 20,000 people a year. One out of five landmine victims are children.
On September 18, 1997, during the Oslo Conference, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada and Foreign Minister of Norway called for a total ban of anti-personnel landmines. To date, the Convention has been signed by 164 State parties. Also in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) was formed to help eliminate the threat posed by mines. On December 8, 2005 the United Nations General Assembly declared that April 4th would be observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The first official observance was held on April 4th, 2006.
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