Our community liaison staff are the eyes and ears of MAG. They go into communities to find out the extent of landmines and other unexploded bombs, and how they are affecting people’s lives. This enables MAG to better target our resources to the areas of greatest need.

Our teams also inform communities about planned demining activities, and the exact locations of marked or cleared areas. They then follow up afterwards to ensure that all of a community's requirements are met.

In the late 1990s, MAG was the first organization to carry out community liaison work. This work is now seen by the mine action sector as integral in combating the threat of landmines and unexploded bombs.

Risk education aims to reach the greatest possible number of people with potentially life-saving information on how to recognize, avoid and report threats. This is particularly important for children and returning communities.

These safety sessions may include how to recognize landmines, how to report a dangerous item, what to do in an emergency, the known areas of contamination, and more.

Raising awareness of the threat and working directly with communities helps change behaviors, reducing the risk of death or injury.

The sessions are designed to be gender and age appropriate, context-specific and to address risk-taking behaviors that can lead to accidents.

Our work often begins with staff speaking with people in a community to find out the level of contamination in the area and how well the population understands the problem.

The exchange of knowledge helps us to be sensitive to the specific needs of each society and to respond to different vulnerabilities in the community.

Our teams also work with displaced people and refugees to support them in addressing the risks they might encounter once they return to their homes.

Almost half of the victims of landmines and unexploded bombs are children. A child's ability to correctly identify a landmine or other explosive weapon could save their life.

MAG has developed puppet shows and interactive games to teach children about risk in an engaging way that could keep them safe for the rest of their lives.

Using radio, billboards, television (such as this video for Syrian refugees at risk from unexploded bombs), text messages and emergency hotlines, we ensure those most in danger are aware of the risks know how to avoid them.