Mines and cluster munitions take lives and disables civilians every year. To secure rapid support for those affected, the Red Cross is strengthening their preventive work on mines.

- In many of today's conflicts, mines, cluster munitions and other problems related to weapon contamination cause significant humanitarian challenges says mine-coordinator at The Norwegian Red Cross, Lena Eskeland.

Post-war incidents The UN estimates that only in Lebanon, after last year's war, more than one million cluster munitions remain on the ground or in trees.

- A rapid response in affected areas can reduce loss of lives and other problems caused by this contamination until more systematic clearance can take place, says Eskeland.

More has to be done Norwegian Red Cross has over the years supported the ICRC's preventive work on mines. Among other initiatives, the ICRC is developing a pool of trained mine action personnel that can be deployed on short rapid response missions until the long-term goals have been reached.

Recently 6 delegates from the Norwegian Red Cross were trained during a large mine action rapid response exercise in Sweden.

Informing the local societies about the danger-areas and about how one can avoid accidents and to contribute to mine clearance in particularly vulnerable areas, will be important tasks for the rapid response unit together with local Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies in affected areas.

Important knowledge During the exercise, the delegates learned about the ICRC approach to mine action rapid response and subsequently participated in a larger exercise with the UN and other actors.

- The training has given me important knowledge about the different types of arms that cause mine-and explosive-related problems as well as an understanding of the physical, social and economical consequences of these problems, says Peter Meyer, one of the Norwegian participants in the training.

- The Red Cross can play an important part reducing the humanitarian consequences of these weapons, both in emergency situations and on a long-term basis.