OSCE helps children of eastern Ukraine learn safety rules to avoid accidents with ammunition and unexploded ordnance

The schools of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk – two towns in the East of Ukraine, affected by recent hostilities – received newly-produced awareness raising materials to help their students avoid risks of accidents, associated with unexploded ordnance, abandoned ammunition and other potentially deadly items. At a handover ceremony in Kharkiv on 18 December 2014, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator’s officers presented to the regional authorities 7,000 workbooks with covers displaying instructions on safety rules for kids in case they encounter such munitions.

The State Emergency Service of Ukraine, currently implementing humanitarian demining operations, requested the assistance of the Co-ordinator. According to the Service, in the past five months more than 31,000 explosive remnants were discovered in the eastern regions, and much more to be cleared. The information campaign is to ensure that civilians, especially children, are aware of the danger and know how to avoid those risks. 

The safety mine awareness posters and the educational video materials were also provided. It is expected that by mid-January some 43,000 more such workbooks will also be available for schools in Ukraine’s other eastern towns. Earlier this year the OSCE Project Co-ordinator produced ammunition risks awareness videos aired by Ukrainian broadcasters. To enhance the capability of the State Emergency Service to respond to existing challenges, the OSCE Project Co-ordinator also conducts training courses for its personnel on international mine action standards, as well as providing protective and demining equipment.