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| © UNICEF/HQ04-0747/Martinez | |
| A boy’s T-shirt bears the message "No more anti-personnel mines." He attended a 2004 ceremony in Bogotá, Colombia’s capital, marking the government’s destruction of its arsenal of anti-personnel mines. |
You might not be aware of the proliferation of landmines in Colombia. After all, it's not a story that's in the news much these days. But the rising number of landmines and unexploded munitions in Colombia pose a huge threat to the country's children. In UNICEF's recent Humanitarian Action Report, Colombia was identified as one of the 39 countries in the world that need emergency help right now.
Colombia has been embroiled in a civil war for the last 40 years. Millions of its citizens have fled their homes, and landmines are found in 31 out of Colombia's 32 provinces. A recent study shows that Colombia has more landmine victims than any other country in the world—and children make up one third of the country's victims.
Jhon Ferney Giraldo was 14 when he was injured by a landmine. He and his family had been forced out of their home by the rebel army and were fleeing to the municipal capital when he stepped on a mine and lost his foot. His family walked for two days to reach a medic who administered first aid, and then continued their journey to reach a hospital. Jhon spent 15 days in the hospital and was released with a pair of crutches.
Jhon now has a prosthesis and can walk to school. His dream is to become a teacher. He has completed a UNICEF-supported mine-education training course and looks forward to teaching mine awareness to other children.
UNICEF and its partners recognize that raising landmine awareness is a valuable tool in preventing these horrific accidents. Children are especially at risk, since they'll pick up mines out of curiosity. Unexploded cluster bombs, in particular, often look like colorful toys. In addition, landmines in Colombia are now increasingly found on local roads, at water sources and even in school yards.
Mines and unexploded ordnances like cluster bombs kill or injure 15,000 people a year, many of them children. UNICEF is working to minimize this threat. If you would like to support UNICEF's emergency programs in countries like Colombia, please visit our emergency donations page.
And if you want your voice heard, ask your lawmaker to support the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act. You can find out more about this act and how to get in touch with your rep on our special advocacy page. And let us know if you spoke up!
