Explosive ordnance represents a key barrier to development in numerous countries worldwide, affecting the lives of communities long after the conflict is over. Due to their gender-specific mobility patterns, roles and responsibilities, women, girls, boys and men are impacted differently by explosive ordnance.
There is growing awareness within the mine action sector that taking a gender and diversity sensitive and responsive perspective will make mine action more inclusive and effective. However, more work needs to be done to ensure that gender and diversity are mainstreamed in all aspects of mine action programmes and beyond, and that women and marginalised groups participate meaningfully in and benefit from the sector.
Under the 2019-2022 GICHD Strategy, gender equality, inclusion and empowerment of women and girls is one of the four strategic objectives of the Centre. The Gender and Mine Action Programme (GMAP), a new thematic division of the GICHD, works to ensure that all knowledge generated and disseminated by the GICHD, as well as the advice and technical assistance provided to partners, take gender and diversity into account systematically.
In close cooperation with partners and key stakeholders, GICHD provides specialized in-country and remote support, advice, technical assistance, capacity development, and research to ensure that risks from explosive ordnance are reduced in a gender and diversity sensitive and responsive manner and that the potential of mine action to be inclusive, advance gender equality and enable women to become empowered agents of change is realised.