Year 1 Annual Analytical Report September 2016 December ...

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Activity 29160: Humanitarian mine Action and Cluster Munitions Activities 2016-2020

Year 1 Annual Analytical Report

September 2016 – December 2017

Submitted: 1st May 2018

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Contents Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 3

Democratic Republic of Congo ........................................................................................................................ 4

Context Summary and Operational Map..................................................................................................... 4

Progress against Outputs............................................................................................................................. 5

Progress against Outcomes ......................................................................................................................... 6

Cross-Cutting issues ................................................................................................................................... 10

Case Study ................................................................................................................................................. 11

Iraq ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Context Summary and Operational Map................................................................................................... 12

Progress against Outputs – Multi-country contract .................................................................................. 16

Progress against Outputs – Emergency contract ...................................................................................... 17

Progress against Outcomes ....................................................................................................................... 18


Lessons Learned ........................................................................................................................................ 20

Updates to the Risk Register ..................................................................................................................... 20

Photos and Captions .................................................................................................................................. 21

Lebanon ......................................................................................................................................................... 22


Progress against Outputs........................................................................................................................... 23


Cross-Cutting Issues ................................................................................................................................... 26

Other – changes to the programme .......................................................................................................... 27

Case Study ................................................................................................................................................. 28

South Sudan ................................................................................................................................................... 29


Progress against Outputs........................................................................................................................... 29



Other – changes to the programme .......................................................................................................... 35

Case Study ................................................................................................................................................. 36

Annex 1 – Year 1 Financial Progress Report ...................................................................................................... 38

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Executive Summary

With the generous funding support received from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MAG has achieved the

following outputs between September 2016 – December 2017:

Over 1,668,318 m2 land released through minefield and Battle Area clearance

Over 34,280 direct beneficiaries of land released

Over 3,630 Risk Education sessions delivered

Over 84,900 direct beneficiaries from Risk Education sessions

Activities undertaken during the reporting period included minefield clearance, battle area clearance, EOD

spot tasks and the delivery of Risk Education sessions, including in support of other NGOs. Despite all countries

having been affected on some level by insecurity, either in the country itself or in the region, the majority of

activities have been carried out as planned and the project has achieved significant results in the first year.

Additional emergency funds were allocated during the reporting period to increase capacity to respond to the

crisis in Iraq. Related activities, outputs and outcomes are also included in the following report.

MAG worked closely with the two partners – the Gender and Mine Action Programme (GMAP) and the Geneva

International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) – on specific tasks that developed MAG’s

organisational and programmatic capacity as well as that of national mine action authorities in some countries.

Local capacity on gender and diversity mainstreaming in mine action is being strengthened through support

from GMAP in the form of assessments, workshops and training, in particular among the Lebanon Mine Action

Centre (LMAC) in Lebanon and among MAG staff in South Sudan. MAG partners with GICHD under this contract

in order to advance information management systems, particularly in Iraq, as well as to develop the capacity

of the Congolese Anti-Mine Control Centre (CCLAM) in DRC.

The long-term partnership between MAG and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to make an

important difference for mine-affected communities in conflict-affected countries through this vital, life-

saving and life-changing work.

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Democratic Republic of Congo

Context Summary and Operational Map

The ongoing postponement of the presidential election from the end of 2016 has ushered in a period of

political and economic uncertainty. Despite this, there has been increased stability in major cities since the

announcement in late 2017 of the election now set for December 2018. MAG’s operations have not been

affected by political demonstrations nor the ongoing violence perpetrated by armed groups in the east of

the country, with the Ubangis comparatively stable in the context of the DRC. However, the rise in inflation

has affected costs.

MAG has successfully deployed two Multi-Task Teams (MTTs) and two Community Liaison (CL) Teams

throughout the first year of operations in two of the last provinces requiring demining in DRC: North and

South Ubangi. Unexpected delays to mobilisation, poor infrastructure and administrative interruptions with

the national authorities all impacted clearance outputs over the course of the first year of operations. To this

end, MAG requested and was granted a no-cost extension through to the end of August 2018.

MAG deployed two MTTs (1 x Technical Field Manager, 6 x FARDC1 EOD operators, 1 x medics and 2 x drivers

per team) and two CL teams (1 x Community Liaison Officer, 4 x seconded Red Cross Community Liaison

Officers, 1 x Medic and 1 x Driver per team) under this contract. Each CL team has two female CL Officers,

and each MTT has one female deminer. The teams were initially deployed to North Ubangi before

redeploying to South Ubangi in May 2017. As such, MAG was able to maximise economies of scale

throughout the project.

1 FARDC : Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo / Congolese Armed Forces.

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Progress against Outputs

Output Target Achieved % Achieved

Mine Action Team Clearance

Land Cleared (m2) 274,286 180,093 65%

Areas Cleared (#) 0 0 -

Land Reduced by Technical Survey (m2) 13,714 13,000 94%

Total land returned to the community (m2) 288,000 193,093 67%

Area Cancelled NTS (m2) 68,571 100,000 145%

Items found and destroyed

AT Mines (#) 0 1 -

UXO (#) 0 139 -

Land release beneficiaries

Direct Male Beneficiaries (#) 3,516 7,379 209%

Direct Female Beneficiaries (#) 3,916 4,269 109%

Direct Male Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger) 2,838 2,740 96%

Direct Female Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

2,792 2,743 98%

Indirect Male Beneficiaries (#) 1,731 12,676 732%

Indirect Female Beneficiaries (#) 1,928 8,857 459%

Indirect Male Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

1,397 6,765 484%

Indirect Female Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

1,374 7,979 580%

Community Liaison

MRE Sessions (#) 1,029 920 89%

Male MRE Recipients (#) 5,536 9,833 177%

Female MRE Recipients (#) 6,169 6,727 109%

Child MRE Recipients (#) 8,866 18,308 206%

Number of people trained (m/f) 168 110 65%

MAG encountered unplanned challenges during the first year of operations. Coordination of mine action

operations in the DRC transferred fully from UNMAS to CCLAM,2 the National Mine Action Authority, in early

2016. This demonstrates an important step in increased national ownership of mine action; however, with

this handover came some changes to technical and administrative regulations, and MAG was required to

undergo a new process of accreditation with CCLAM. Activities were suspended in September and October

at the request of CCLAM until their teams could deploy to accredit MAG teams to South Ubangi in late

November. After demobilizing as planned for the Christmas and New Year holiday season, MAG resumed

operations in mid-January 2018. Due to CCLAM’s lack of resources, there were delays in the updating of

national rules and an accessible database concerning confirmed hazardous areas (CHAs) or suspected

hazardous areas (SHAs) and the facilitation of the new strategic plan. MAG’s area of operations is extremely

remote. Transporting supplies from Mbandaka and Kinshasa by boat and plane takes significant time and

resources. Despite these challenges,, the work undertaken during the first year of operations is a notable

2 CCLAM : Centre Congolais de Lutte Anti-Mines / Congolese Anti-Mine Control Centre

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step to reaching the objectives of the project. Slight underachievement of some outputs for Year One as a

result of the CCLAM accreditation delay will be compensated during the no cost extension period.

The significant overachievement of MRE beneficiaries demonstrates the continued need for this education,

which will continue to support communities to react appropriately to residual ERW contamination once

demining operations have been completed. Engaging with local populations during MRE sessions allowed

the CL teams to provide vital information to those in charge of identifying and marking hazardous areas. CL

teams contribute to the identification of CHAs, SHAs, and EOD spot tasks in the two provinces, significantly

reducing the search spectrum of hazardous areas by demining teams and improving operational efficiency.

The intervention has made significant progress in clearing the two provinces of the last known hazardous

areas and minefields. In close coordination with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), who are also conducting

clearance with separate donor funding, MAG is confident that these two key provinces will be cleared of

known contamination by the end of the no-cost extension period. This is a notable step towards supporting

the DRC meeting its obligations under the Mine Ban Treaty.

Progress against Outcomes

Outcome 1 – Security and stability is enhanced, risk of death and injury to individuals and communities is

reduced

Milestone 1 - December 2017

Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

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Number of (%) direct beneficiaries

surveyed reporting feeling safer

following land release and RE

activities

Women 706 75 - -

Men 824 75 - -

Girls 236 75 - -

Boys 589 75 - -

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surveyed reporting increased

knowledge of ERW/mines following

RE activities

Women 461 80 143 91

Men 538 80 187 93

Girls 154 80 130 89

Boys 384 80 138 88

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surveyed demonstrating increased

safe behaviour towards the dangers

of ERW/mines following RE

activities

Women 432 75 108 76

Men 504 75 149 79

Girls 144 75 96 73

Boys 360 75 108 80

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The CL capacity encountered a number of difficulties during operations, specifically the distances between

target communities and poor roads conditions, which led to a slight underachievement of the number of MRE

sessions. As explained below, a decision by the Government of the DRC to unexpectedly request

reaccreditation of the teams and a gap between the departure of MAG’s International Community Liaison

Manager and their replacement also affected operations. In total, MAG carried out 920 MRE sessions over 201

various locations representing 89% of the year one target. To emphasise the impact of travel, in the fourth

quarter of operations when rural communities were found to be closer to one another than originally

estimated, the CL team was able to meet 150% of the quarter’s target for sessions.

Nonetheless, the number of recipients reached through the RE sessions surpassed expectations. In total, MAG teams provided RE to 34,868 beneficiaries (6,727 women, 7,829 girls, 10,480 boys and 9,833 men). Over double the number of children attended sessions than expected, in part as MAG’s CL teams carried out sessions in schools owing to the particular vulnerability of boys and girls to mines and ERW. The divide between male and female recipients is indicative of the social structures in the DRC where, despite deploying gender-balanced CL teams, it remains difficult to access as many female members of communities as male. Despite accounting for this in the baseline assessment, where MAG expected women to constitute 30% of participants, they have only made up 23% of attendees in the first year of operations. Boys were also less well represented, at 15% compared to the expected 25% of participants. Girls on the other hand were far better represented, constituting 27%, rather than 10% of the participants.

MAG trained Community Focal Points in each community that it visited in order to sustain the impact of the intervention. These figures of authority are trained to provide RE in the community, in particular to new arrivals and children. They are also instructed on how to respond to reports of ERW and communicate them to the relevant authorities in order to have the hazards cleared.

With MAG’s SOPs requiring six months between the release of land to communities and MAG undertaking an

Impact Assessment that can define how land is being used, the delays in operations in DRC means impact

information will be available in early 2018. The findings will be included in the Year Two report, but can also

be made available earlier once the first Impact Assessments have been conducted if requested by the donor.

Given the significant of the DRC context in terms of both Article 5 completion and the current humanitarian

crisis, MAG will aim to produce impact case studies highlighting the value of the Dutch-funded project.

Owing to the sheer demand for RE, the 10% sample survey as stated in the methodology was not possible to

maintain. The number of participants was 170% the expected figure, despite fewer RE sessions being

conducted. As such, the figures surveyed do not represent a 10% survey of the beneficiaries, although they

remain indicative of overall effectiveness of the intervention. The methodology has been adapted in order to

survey more people during the subsequent year of operations.

To assess the number of beneficiaries feeling safer after land redistribution and RE activities, MAG distributed

pre- and post-questionnaires to men, women, boys and girls attending the sessions. In total 1,028 beneficiaries

were surveyed, including 244 women, 207 girls, 233 boys and 344 men. Questionnaires contain questions

related to the six topics addressed by the CL Officers during their presentations, including: the ability to

recognize mines and ERW; the impact of mines and ERW on people and communities; the sources of

information and clues to recognize the dangerous areas; recognizing the signs and markings of the danger;

what to do in case of discovery of mines or ERW; and how to prevent accidents by mines or ERW for others.

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The difference between the answers from the pre- and post-questionnaire demonstrated the change in

knowledge and behaviour.

Outcome Indicator 1: The progress of outcome indicator 1 in 2017 has not yet been measured as the post-

clearance impact study is under way. While the results from risk education participants has been collected,

the impact assessment on land release has yet to be conducted. However, risk education itself responds to a

neglected but very real need of people in post-conflict situations. Often at-risk people do not recognise the

danger of mines and ERW once the conflict is over. RE accelerates the process of resilience of these

populations by encouraging the resumption of socioeconomic activities in areas known to be safe. This process

is also helped by equipping recipients of RE with the knowledge of how to appropriately respond to and report

threats.

Outcome Indicator 2: Survey findings from pre/post RE survey indicated that 90% of 1,028 respondents

demonstrated appropriate knowledge following RE activities. Sex and age disaggregated data of surveyed

beneficiaries who demonstrated knowledge included: 221 women (91%), 185 girls (89%), 205 boys (88%) and

318 men (93%). While smaller proportions of girls and boys from the survey sample demonstrated appropriate

knowledge overall, the improvements of boys and girls between the pre- and post-questionnaire were the

greatest changes. In this regard, MAG has demonstrated the greatest impact of its intervention among the

cohorts most at risk.

Outcome Indicator 3: Survey findings from pre/post RE survey indicated that 77% (795 of 1,028) of

respondents demonstrated appropriate behaviour following RE activities. Sex and age disaggregated data of

surveyed beneficiaries who knew how to behave when faced with mines or ERW included: 186 women (76%),

152 girls (73%), 186 boys (80%) and 271 men (79%). Again, children demonstrated the greatest increase in

changed behaviour following the intervention, with the target percentage of those demonstrating safe

behaviour being met with all cohorts following the intervention.

Outcome 2 – Enhanced resilience of vulnerable groups through improved access to resources, livelihoods

and socioeconomic reconstruction


Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

4 m2 (%) of land released through

TS/clearance

a) agriculture 241,920 90 173,784 90

b)community

development 0- 0- 0- 0-

c) housing 0 0 0 0

d) infrastructure 26,880 10 19,309 10

5 Women 290 40 - -

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Outcome Indicator 1: The MTT performed survey and clearance activities initially in North Ubangi on a task in

Begia and from May 2017 in South Ubangi around a contaminated area in Zongo. Due to the dense brush in

the Suspected Hazardous Areas in North Ubangi that had to be cut by the MTT, MAG’s Technical Operations

Manager authorise the closure of the site and deployment to South Ubangi. The decision was the result of

easier access to the area and in closer proximity to communities. The greater rate of outputs and pronounced

impact on local communities warranted the move, with teams to revisit North Ubangi towards the end of the

project. In this regard, the achievement of 66% of the target for clearance – at 180,093m2 – during the first

year is a positive result. Furthermore, the contamination profile of the areas of operations did not often

warrant technical survey nor non-technical survey. As a result, the outputs associated with these two

measures was unpredictable between quarters. Nonetheless, despite only reducing land in one quarter, MAG

achieved 95% of the technical survey outputs expected in the first year of operations and 146% of the non-

technical survey outputs despite activities of this kind occurring in only two quarters.

The provinces of North and South Ubangi are mainly agricultural, with most of the land returned to the populations expected to be used for the resumption of agricultural activities. These are mainly small family farms used to feed their own families with cassava, beans, bananas, and spinach. In this regard, the land returned through MAG’s intervention will have a notable socioeconomic impact. MAG also expects a small proportion of the land to be used for vital access routes to firewood collection, hunting, water collection, foraging and access to services.

Outcome Indicator 2: Usable data to estimate the number of people whose standard of living has increased thanks to the resumption of socio-economic activities after clearance activities is not yet available. In accordance with MAG’s SOPs such impact assessments are carried out six months after land has been returned to the community. Impact studies are underway in four locations that have benefitted from the project, which will be reported in due course.

Outcome Indicator 3: As above, usable data to estimate the number of people whose standard of living has increased thanks to the resumption of socio-economic activities after clearance activities is not yet available. In accordance with MAG’s SOPs such impact assessments are carried out six months after land has been returned to the community. Impact studies are underway in four locations that have benefitted from the project, which will be reported in due course.

Number of (%) direct

beneficiaries surveyed reporting

improved livelihoods

Men 338 40 - -

Girls 97 40 - -

Boys 241 40 - -

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Number of (%) direct


improved access to services and

infrastructure

Women 109 15 - -

Men 127 15 - -

Girls 36 15 - -

Boys 91 15 - -

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Cross-Cutting issues

Gender: The cultural context in the DRC makes it difficult to encourage the participation of women and girls

in the RE sessions. There is a traditional strict separation of gender roles, especially in rural areas. MAG had

attempted to account for the effects in the baseline assessment, with an expected breakdown of

beneficiaries of 30% women, 10% girls, 25% boys and 35% men. While, positively, a greater number of girls

were present at RE sessions, accounting for 22% of beneficiaries, there were far fewer women than

expected, at 19%, and men, at 28%. MAG deploys a gender balanced CL team in order to maintain as equal

access across the four cohorts.

Conflict Sensitivity: Even though the security situation in North and South Ubangi is one of the most stable

areas of the DRC, some communities still live in the suspicion of retaliation or fear of being stigmatized by

other members of the community, which makes engagement with CL teams difficult. The two provinces

remain among the poorest provinces of the DRC, with low levels of agricultural development caused largely

by a lack of infrastructure and limited investment in natural resources. Both the Ubangis were strongly

affected by the wars of 1996-97 and 1998-2001 and instability in the neighbouring Central African Republic

continues to impact local communities, as refugees and rebel groups are known to cross the border. This

combination of a lack of resources aggravated by conflicts has developed a particular sensitivity among

Ubangi communities that can cause friction during humanitarian interventions. MAG adopts a very tactful

approach with regular meetings with local communities and local authorities in order to mitigate any

mistrust of our operations. This engagement is necessary, although it can at times slow deployment and

project implementation.

Innovation: While not within the reporting period, MAG has attempted to use resources creatively to

maximise the impact of its work over this large and difficult terrain in the current year of operations, building

on lessons learnt during the first year. After engaging with Provincial government and partner branches of

the Red Cross and agreeing a communication strategy, MAG has requested assistance from local

administrations and used local FM radio to request communities contact us and inform us of any ERW, so we

can effectively schedule visits and the destruction of ERW in the remaining months of the project.

Sustainability: MAG trained Community Focal Points (CFPs) in each community that was visited. These

figures of authority are now equipped to convey MRE messages effectively to returnees and children after

MAG’s teams have left the area. The CFPs are also used as points of liaison for MAG’s teams and are

instructed on how to report any further ERW contamination discovered. This ongoing communication allows

spot tasks to be scheduled for clearance. Ideally the communication strategy will ensure that in addition to

all known minefields being removed, the communities will inform MAG of all known ERW, which can be

destroyed in the remaining months of the project.

In partnership with GICHD, this project is supporting the capacity development of CCLAM, in particular

through developing a national mine action strategy for DRC on achieving completion of the APBMC Article 5

obligations within the country’s current deadline set to 1 January 2021. In the first year, a national strategy

stakeholder workshop was conducted, which brought all major national and international stakeholders

together to facilitate the development of DRC’s next national mine action strategy. The strategy was then

drafted by GICHD in close collaboration with focal points for each topic suggested by the CCLAM. After a

validation workshop, the final strategy document was submitted by the CCLMA to relevant government

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authorities. The next step in this process, planned for 2018, is to conduct a follow-up mission to evaluate the

implementation of measures leading towards the formulated strategic objectives.

Collaboration/coordination with local partners: To raise the awareness in the largely rural population of

North and South Ubangi, MAG is cooperating with both Governors, the local Red Cross and the

administration. A very positive response has been received with the administration, which has proved

supportive of MAG’s work with the independent mobilisation of their resources to communicate the MAG

clearance capacity to communities and ensure completion within the grant period.

Case Study

Removal of AT Mine in October 2016 – Mbwasenge

During the month of October 2016, information was

passed to MAG by the Deputy Governor of North Ubangi

in relation to a known mine on a key supply road located

105km west of Gbadolite in Mbwasenge village.

With this information MAG proceeded to deploy a multi-

task team to investigate the reported danger. Upon

arrival the MTT identified the mine as a Soviet anti-

vehicle mine (TM-62). The TM-62 is reported to have

been laid during the 1998/1999 period of the civil war

between the Congolese national Army (FARDC) and

rebels – namely the Movement for the Liberation of

Congo (MLC) – that were led by Jean-Pierre Bemba, who

is currently imprisoned in The Hague.

The local population had noted the mine, and for over

fifteen years had diverted traffic from the main road, by

placing logs around it. The mine was located in the centre

of the village on the main route, just a few meters away from Tukuls (traditional houses). The mine had several

negative implications for the local community: restricting the use of the road, and adding to psychological

stress among the locals especially women and their children.

To combat the threat, the MTT held meetings with the affected population to explain the threat and the

process of removal. Once evacuation had taken place and safe distances were implemented, clearance work

commenced.

The Anti-Tank Mine Disposed of by MAG's

Multi Task Team

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The team conducted the clearance by

establishing a perimeter around the hazardous

area and then proceeded to manually clear the

mine. Once located the mine was destroyed in-

situ. Had the mine detonated without a

controlled explosion, the blast radius from a

mine of this size would likely have led to many

casualties of the villagers living close to it.

Furthermore, the route is used frequently by

heavy vehicles carrying supplies that are key to

socio-economic development as well as by

humanitarian and development organisations.

The presence of the mine had additionally

caused the road to become distorted leading to

vehicles detouring over villagers’ property.

The clearance of the AT mine has directly benefitted the inhabitants of the village composed of 257 men, 244

women, 212 boys, and 191 girls.

Iraq


Although this project was largely unaffected by the change in access and operating context following the

Kurdish independence referendum, a few minefields and battle area clearance (BAC) tasks in Kirkuk

Governorate are now under the control of the ISF and associated forces and are currently not accessible by

MAG teams. However, due to the scale of the contamination, there have been sufficient tasks within

Peshmerga held areas for the teams to continue clearance and community liaison operations. To keep teams

that usually deploy in ex-Daesh areas working, MAG redeployed as many multi-task teams (MTTs) as possible

to MAG’s operational areas in Dohuk, Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk governorates in November. This expanded the

wider clearance capacity working on legacy minefields for the last two months of the reporting period.

MAG made significant progress on registration with the GoI during the reporting period. MAG senior staff met

with representatives of the GoI Directorate of NGOs and Directorate of Mine Action (DMA) to work through

the barriers of registration and accreditation and received positive feedback. MAG led a mine action sub-

cluster briefing meeting with other humanitarian mine action organisations and donors to discuss the

challenges and advocacy needed to help resolve issues surrounding NGO registration, DMA accreditation,

access to work sites in Ninewah, Kirkuk and Diyala and visas for essential expert international staff. MAG, as

one of a select few NGOs invited, attended a meeting in November with the NGO Coordination Committee of

Iraq (NCCI) and Iraq Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) to discuss issues being faced by mine action organisations.

As a result of the meeting, the HC raised the issues of registration and access with Federal Iraq's Prime

Minister's Office and Directorate of NGOs. MAG received NGO registration with the GoI on January 15, 2018

and was issued 6-month operational accreditation by the DMA on March 29, 2018. Now MAG is awaiting for

approval to move within Federal Iraq areas from the Joint Operations Command Republic of Iraq in Baghdad

The proximity of the mine to the local community

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and Iraqi visas for international technical staff to conduct an assessment and restart survey and clearance in

Ninewa Governorate.

Across the reporting period, two mine action teams (MAT) conducted clearance and one community liaison

team (CLT) delivered risk education (RE), training of community focal points (CFPs) and teachers and collected

information on contaminated areas. The teams deployed from MAG’s base in the town of Chamchamal and

conducted mine action activities across Sulaymaniyah and eastern parts of Kirkuk governorates. The project

also supported four months of partner RE activities in Salah al-Din and Diyala governorates.

The minefields where clearance was completed were predominantly agricultural land just outside of villages

that will be used for grazing and growing crops as well as picnics, a very popular cultural activity by Kurdish

families in springtime. Some land is intended to be used for building houses.

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In terms of additional emergency funding for Iraq, prior to the Kurdish independence referendum on 25th

September 2017, MAG made good progress against project targets in conducting clearance and risk education

activities in areas previously held by Daesh. Working in areas to the north and north east of Mosul city, the

Dutch funded teams cleared just under 800,000m2 of contaminated land, and delivered 232 risk education

sessions.

The referendum in September 2017 has led to a significant change in the operating environment, which has

prevented MAG from accessing many of its operational areas in Ninewa Governorate. Since 16th October,

when the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) moved into Peshmerga held areas

of the governorates of Nineveh, Kirkuk and Diyala - commonly known as the disputed areas (or grey areas in

mine action) - humanitarian activities have been adversely affected. In response to the overnight change in

control of the disputed areas, both Government of Iraq (GoI) and Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) mine

action authorities ordered all humanitarian mine action (HMA) actors in these areas to stand down their

operations temporarily. To date, mine action organisations have been unable to return to these disputed (or

‘grey’) areas, irrespective of their registration status with the GoI.

To get the teams back to work as soon as possible, MAG secured approval from the Netherlands Ministry of

Foreign Affairs to redeploy funded teams to legacy clearance sites and community liaison capacity to IDP

camps, host communities and schools in the Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI) in late November.

At the beginning of the grant in August 2016, one multi-task team (MTT) and one community liaison team

(CLT) were recruited and trained to operate as a combined operations response team (CORT) conducting non-

technical and technical survey of areas suspected to be contaminated by Daesh. The teams were deployed

from mid-November 2016 in Hamdaniya district, between Mosul and Erbil cities.

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In February 2017, the project provided further support for two existing MTTs for the remainder of the

reporting period. These teams conducted search and clearance in the Bashiqa area, to the north and north

east of Mosul city. Between August and December 2017, the project was able to support other existing MTTs

within budget to continue critical clearance in Daesh contaminated areas, and then legacy minefield

contamination in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The Dutch Government’s flexibility has enabled MAG to keep a

number of teams active and delivering vital mine action activities.

The table below illustrates the number of teams supported for each month of the reporting period.

Team Type

Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

# deployed CORTS (1x MTT + 1x CLT) in ex-Daesh

areas1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

# deployed MTTs deployed in ex-Daesh areas 2 2 2 2 2 2 4 3 3

# MTTs (incl CORT MTT) redeployed to legacy

contamination sites during Ninewa stand down4 6

# CLTs (from CORT) redeployed in KRI during

Ninewa stand down1 1

2016 2017

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Progress against Outputs – Multi-country contract

Output Achieved Sep '16 - Dec '17

Target % ACHIEVED

Mine action team clearance

Land released (m2) 365,740 288,000 127%

Areas returned to the community 5

Minefield demarcation (m2) 338,296 128,000 264%


AP mine 112

AT mine 0

UXO (including Cluster munitions) 377

SAA 351

Direct beneficiaries (land release) 1,220

Indirect beneficiaries (land release) 13,988

Community liaison (MAG and Partners)

Risk education (RE) sessions delivered 2,085 1,280 163%

RE direct male adult beneficiaries 3,840 1,536 250%

RE direct female adult beneficiaries 4,164 1,536 271%

RE children beneficiaries 29,005 4,608 629%

RE total beneficiaries 37,009

Training sessions for CFPs and teachers 356 120 297%

CFPs and teachers trained 1,382 194 712%

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The MATs released 361,810m2 of land, 126% of the target, completing clearance of nine minefields and a

battle area clearance task across Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk governorates. The teams also demarcated

687,199m2 of minefields. The clearance and land release completed by the teams directly benefited 1,190

people and almost 12,000 individuals are indirect beneficiaries of the work. The MATs found and destroyed

112 anti-personnel landmines, 278 items of unexploded ordnance and 99 cluster munitions, making the

contaminated land safer for the local communities and populations that might transit through the areas.

The CLT delivered 969 RE sessions, just above the 960 target, which reached 15,859 people comprised of 35%

girls, 41% boys, 12% women and 12% men. With thousands of IDPs sheltering in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq,

training of teachers and community focal points (CFPs) was particularly critical in reaching the increasing

number of people living and transiting through operational areas. The CLT prioritised reaching teachers and

CFPs in IDPs camps and host communities, so that lifesaving key messages are able to be passed on by trusted

individuals. The team was able to exceed the number of CFPs and teachers trained – reaching 570, 297% of

the 192 target. The overachievement is due to there being more individuals in an average training session, the

teams trying to meet the demand as well as the teams not having to spend time reporting on suspected

contamination sites as CLTs usually do, as hazardous sites are reasonably well-known in areas of the KRI.

Between November 2016 and February 2017, the six partner NGO teams supported under this project were

also able to exceed expected outputs due to the higher need and larger numbers of people participating in

sessions being greater than anticipated when targets were set. The teams, working in Kirkuk and Diyala,

delivered 1,116 RE sessions (145% of target) to 17,487 individuals of which, 35% were girls, 41% were boys,

13% were women and 11% were men. The teams also trained 673 CFPs and teachers, 234% of the 288 target.

Progress against Outputs – Emergency contract

Activity / Beneficiaries / Item Achieved Sep '16 - Dec '17

Target % ACHIEVED

Area cleared (MTTs) m2 799,632 950,000 84%

# of areas where non-technical survey and technical survey has been carried out 11 28 39%


Improvised devices 1,867 N/A

Other improvised items 189 N/A

Improvised UXO 15 N/A

Anti-personnel mines 8 N/A

Small arms and ammunition 6 N/A

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) found and destroyed 12 N/A

Clearance male adult beneficiaries 2,979 N/A

Clearance female adult beneficiaries 2,779 N/A

Clearance male children beneficiaries 2,738 N/A

Clearance female children beneficiaries 3,867 N/A

Clearance total beneficiaries 12,513 N/A

Clearance total indirect beneficiaries 20,659 N/A

18

Community liaison

Risk education (RE) sessions delivered 232 N/A

RE direct male adult beneficiaries 560 N/A

RE direct female adult beneficiaries 355 N/A

RE direct male children beneficiaries 1,011 N/A

RE direct female children beneficiaries 955 N/A

RE total beneficiaries 2,881 N/A

Training of teachers sessions 14 N/A

Teachers trained 60 N/A

The clearance teams achieved 84% of the 950,000m2 land clearance target. Due to the changes in the political

and security situation, MAG was forced to stand down on 16th October 2017 and were unable to return to

conduct clearance in Daesh contamination areas. Although the MTTs were redeployed to contaminated sites

under the control of KRI forces, clearance of legacy minefields is a slower process due to the low metal content

of conventional devices, which means that deminers have to investigate more signals, and thus release land

at a slower rate. The Dutch teams have also deployed to legacy minefields in predominantly steep and more

challenging terrain, which also impacts the rate at which clearance can be safely conducted.

The teams conducted both non-technical survey and technical survey in 11 areas against the targeted 28 areas.

This was largely due to the team working on larger areas which took a greater amount of time to survey, as

well as disruption towards the end of 2017 following the suspension of operations in Ninewa Governorate.

Due to operational priorities on the ground, the technical component of the CORT did not work exclusively on

tasks identified by the CL component, and conducted clearance and technical survey on other identified areas.

The teams conducted non-technical survey and technical survey of suspected contamination that was shared

with the national mine action authorities and MAG’s clearance prioritisation process. This meant that other

MTTs working in the operational area were able to conduct systematic clearance of areas that had already

been assessed for contamination patterns, increasing the efficiency of clearance overall.

Over the reporting period, RE materials utilised by the CL component of the CORT were updated and improved

to be more engaging for their target audiences. Board games and colouring books were developed for RE

sessions with children to help them stay engaged and to increase the retention of critical lifesaving messages.

CL teams, including the CL component of the CORT, have both a male and female member. This continued to

be a successful way for the teams to reach all parts of community populations.

As mentioned above, the changeover in control of the disputed areas and forced stand down placed a

considerable operational constraint on the teams conducting survey, clearance and RE in areas previously held

by Daesh. As a result, MAG has been working with the relevant GoI departments, mine action sub-cluster,

NGO Coordination Committee for Iraq (NCCI) and donors to attain registration, accreditation and access so

that mine action activities can resume in Federal Iraq as soon as possible.


As MAG’s programme has rapidly expanded over the reporting period, resources have been focused on

training and deploying new teams and reaching communities with vital clearance and risk education

19

activities. At this time, MAG does not yet have a full picture of the impact of the work conducted against the

outcome indicators set at proposal stage for the multi-country contract. MAG is currently reviewing its

impact monitoring tools and mechanisms, and plans to return to areas where clearance and risk education

activities were conducted during the reporting period to determine this information during the second year

of the project.

For the emergency funded contract, no specific outcomes were set, in particular due to the highly dynamic

population movements and the difficulty in locating the same beneficiaries throughout the length of the

contract.


Gender: MAG’s CL teams are comprised of men and women to ensure that all members of the community

can be reached, taking into consideration gender sensitivities especially during times of heightened tension.

Under this project, MAG ensured that women were targeted as part of the survey and RE sessions delivered

to the communities. In Sinjar, where some of the teams under this grant were deployed, MAG has the first

female clearance team in the country. Some of the teams deployed under this grant included female

deminers and medics. Female dog handlers were also recruited for high risk search dogs (HRSD) teams

supported by other donors.

Conflict Sensitivity: MAG hires staff for both the MTT clearance and CL teams from the area in which they

operate to ensure that they have the necessary customs to exhibit sensitivity to specific aspects of the local

population and acceptance by the community and integration of the programme’s work.

Innovation: MAG uses an integrated approach to mine action, for clearance in legacy areas community

liaison, mechanical assets and mine detection dogs (MDDs) work in with manual clearance to increase the

efficiency of the activities. MAG has replicated this process in areas formerly under the control of Daesh,

having already deployed manual teams and mechanical teams. MAG has also HRSDs to identify

contaminated areas and release areas where there is no suspected contamination. This type of work with

dogs has never been carried out in the field by any HMA actor in the past but it has been used by the

military. It is anticipated that the HRSD teams will receive accreditation with the Government of Iraq’s DMA

in the middle of 2018 and be deployed out of MAG’s Sinuni base, Sinjar District.

MAG has also expanded the mechanical fleet and developed new attachments and process to speed up the

work being done by the teams and improve safety for all staff. Some examples of these developments

include using tine rake attachments to remove improvised landmines from the ground and use of a scarifying

attachment (plough) at the front of an armoured tractor with a large loop detector on the back to improve

efficiency and speed up land release.

MAG is also partnering with GICHD to improve its Information Management system in the Iraq country

programme. An IM system has been designed, piloted and partly rolled out in Iraq. At a very early stage in

this project, a mobile data collection system had been identified as a potential system to roll out. However,

after analysing the requirements in detail, it became apparent that a much broader solution – going beyond

mobile data collection – was needed. Therefore, the initial plan has been adapted and IMSMA Core3 has

been identified as an IM system that can address the needs of the MAG programme in Iraq and globally. The

3 http://imsma.gichd.org/

http://imsma.gichd.org/

20

MAG global information systems advisor and a GICHD IM advisor have conducted a joint mission to Iraq to

work on setting up a mobile data collection system for the programme and designing data collection forms.

A requirements definition workshop was conducted in Amman, Jordan, with all involved stakeholders, i.e.

MAG, GICHD and ESRI (the provider of the software that IMSMA Core is based on). Technical activities have

been completed, such as setting up a dedicated server and installing IMSMA Core. In parallel, 150 tablets

have been procured, to be used by the MAG Iraq programme.

Sustainability: MAG has a comprehensive environmental SOPs which details actions to manage any potential

negative effects on the environment and all activities are undertaken within the scope of the procedures,

thereby already reducing the environmental impact of the work undertaken. MAG also incorporates IMAS

across all programming activities. MAG refers to IMAS SOP 10.10 “Environmental Management” for good

practice in mine action. MAG also reviews and updates the policy in accordance with the EN ISO 14001: 2004

Environmental Management Systems standard which is held by MAG HQ.

Collaboration/coordination with local partners: MAG collaborates with both national and international

NGO through the cluster system and in providing risk education to NGO staff as they travel to and work in

areas suspected to be contaminated. As the NGO co-lead for the Mine Action Sub-Cluster, MAG has been a

key point of contact for NGOs in Iraq on matters relating to mine action. Under this project, six local partner

CLTs were deployed for four months to conduct RE and training of CFP and teachers. MAG supported the

organisations with capacity building in management and operations, which they will continue to make use of

across their activities in mine action and other humanitarian sectors.

Lessons Learned

Although not directly impacting this project, with the change of control of disputed areas in northern

Ninewa, MAG’s registration and accreditation with the GoI became urgent. Since the Ninewa mine action

operations stand down in October 2017, the programme has learnt the critical importance of having a

coordinated advocacy approach with other humanitarian mine action organisations to help navigate

bureaucracy in Baghdad to attain what is needed to resume operations in areas previously held by Daesh.

While MAG has NGO registration and 6-month operational accreditation, each process has taken longer than

advised by officials in Baghdad. As and when registration is confirmed, MAG will review operational priorities

and redeploy teams to work on legacy minefields within Iraqi Government controlled areas of Kirkuk

Governorate as required.

Updates to the Risk Register

The following are changes (highlighted in grey) to the Risk Register developed under the emergency funding

for this contract:

Risk

Likelihood of risk occurring

Effect on the achievement of expected results

NGO’s risk management strategy

Political

Government stance towards allowing MAG to operate in and around Mosul changes

Medium High MAG is building a strong working relationship with the DMA and has been liaising with them about resuming operations in Ninewa Governorate. Ground work has been established by the sub-cluster and the national authority understands the importance of all actors

21

working together to respond to the needs in Mosul.

Conflict between security forces emerge in areas in which MAG identify need for work

Medium Medium MAG has a strong working relationship with IKMAA and is building a good relationship with the DMA. MAG will monitor the security situation closely and react immediately to any potential conflict between security forces. In the case of MAG not being able to intervene due to political issues, the areas identified will be filed and clearance carried out at the earliest possible opportunity.

Civil unrest interrupts operations and leads to loss of assets

Medium High As conditions deteriorate, likelihood of civil unrest increases, already witnessed in some areas. MAG will deploy community liaison teams to cultivate good relationships with key stakeholders in areas of work.

Operational

Failure to retain staff in competitive sector within the given timeframe of the project

Medium High MAG will use teams already recruited and trained for the areas they will deploy from. MAG is undergoing a salary and benefits review for local and international staff in 2018.

Photos and Captions

A deminer uncovering an improvised mine before safely removing it from the ground. The improvised landmine The yellow stakes with red tips indicate where an improvised was a plastic container, filled with homemade explosive landmine has been removed and taped off boxes surround material, connected to a pressure plate (already removed). Devices that have yet to be removed.

22

Deminers conducting search and clearance in a conventional Contamination and damage survey in Tulaband village. The minefield in Kasa Mamsha. Shopkeeper is showing the contaminated areas on the map.

A MAG CL officer plays the ‘Safe or dangerous?’ game with children in Kanimaran village

Lebanon


The large number of Syrian refugees in Lebanon continues to put a great strain on national economic

resources. Many Syrian refugees are still settling in historically marginalized regions of Lebanon – including

the highly impoverished North, the Bekaa and the South – and are placed in direct competition for resources

and jobs with struggling Lebanese families.

During the project period, MAG continued to coordinate nationally with all HMA actors, however, an especially

close relationship is held with NPA, and together the organisations continue to advocate for improved

operational efficiency and effectiveness with the LMAC. This joint advocacy in part led to an update of the

National Mine Action Standards (NMAS) during the first quarter of 2018 to allow for Technical Survey to be

conducted on cluster munitions sites.

23

During the reporting period, the security situation in the country was affected by the crisis in Syria, but MAG

areas of operation remained unaffected by these changes.

Under this project, and throughout 16 months of implementation, the programme deployed two BAC teams

to conduct BAC in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa area. The teams conducted clearance of cluster munitions

and other items of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) in support of vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian people in three

communities (Kafartebnit, Maidoun and Quaraoun). The manual clearance teams were supported by

mechanical machines and community liaison teams. In sum, MAG deployed 1 BAC team for 16 months, 1 BAC

team for 10 months, 1 CL team for 13 months (cost shared capacity that ran for full reporting period), and 1

Mechanical support team for 3 months (cost shared capacity that ran for full reporting period).


Output Achieved Sep '16 - Dec '17

Target % ACHIEVED

Mine action team clearance

Land released (m2) 149,902 188,750 80%


AP mine 7

UXO (including Cluster munitions) 221

Land release beneficiaries

Direct Male beneficiaries 295 869 34%

Direct Female beneficiaries 273 937 29%

Direct Boy beneficiaries 364 1148 32%

Direct Girl beneficiaries 333 1058 31%

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Indirect beneficiaries 0 8,688 0%

Community liaison

Risk education (RE) sessions delivered 31 26 119%

RE direct male adult beneficiaries 161 28 17%

RE direct female adult beneficiaries 169 66 39%

RE children beneficiaries 970 1,372 141%

RE total beneficiaries 1,466

Training sessions for CFPs and teachers 11 13 85%

CFPs and teachers trained 12 12 100%

All of MAG’s activities in Lebanon are tasked by the LMAC. MAG works with the LMAC to secure high impact

tasks for clearance activities. During the first year of the project, MAG has been allocated large BAC tasks

where the number of beneficiaries has been lower than those projected at proposal stage, despite making

good progress against the land release target. MAG will continue to engage with the LMAC to discuss the task

prioritisation process and redeploy teams to higher impact tasks where available.

MAG’s risk education activities have principally focused on the delivery of puppet shows to children, leading

to substantial achievements against the child MRE recipient indicator, though lower for adult recipients. The

programme has recently designed a new Risk Education puppet show that is delivered at schools and

community centres to increase reach and efficiency of safety messages and promote safe behaviours.



reduced.


Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

1 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries

surveyed reporting feeling safer

following land release and RE activities

Women 50 80% 25 84

Men 50 80% 30 80

Girls 22 80% 10 70

Boys 22 80% 11 72


surveyed reporting increased

knowledge of ERW/mines following RE

activities

Women 4 80% 5 80

Men 3 80% 5 80

Girls 14 80% 15 86

Boys 13 80% 15 74


surveyed demonstrating increased

safe behaviour towards the dangers of

ERW/mines following RE activities

Women 50 80% 25 76

Men 50 80% 30 66

Girls 22 80% 10 90

Boys 22 80% 11 90

25

In regards to Outcome Indicator 1, the CL department piloted survey forms for this period and trained officers

to collect relevant information as planned. Clearance tasks already started under this project were still at early

stages of clearance and it is expected that during the next reporting period, CL officers will be able to gather

more outcome information. Collected responses broadly confirm what was anticipated at proposal stage.

In order to maintain positive relations with the communities, MAG strives to make the survey and data

collection processes as efficient as possible, so as not to inconvenience communities and negatively affect the

communities’ perception of MAG. The current methodology is being used with no evident difficulties. The

good relations with local communities helps teams approach beneficiaries smoothly with evident cooperation

and acceptance.

For Outcome Indicator 2, though the number of people surveyed under this indicator is relatively low, though

it is evident that results almost matched expected figures.

For Outcome Indicator 3, demonstration of safe behaviour is higher amongst children compared to adults.

Following RE sessions, men demonstrate safe behaviour less than women and children given that they are the

main income generators for households. Unsafe access to contaminated lands is more common for men

compared to women and children, specifically for men working in agriculture.




Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

4 m2 (%) of land released through

TS/clearance

a) agriculture 173387.5 65% 142506 75.5

b) community

development

5339 2% 4718.75 2.5

c) housing 29364.5 11% 15100 8

d) infrastructure 58729 22% 26425 14

5 Number of (%) direct


improved livelihoods

Women 31 80% 35 72

Men 33 80% 25 84

Girls N/A

Boys N/A

6 Number of (%) direct


improved access to services and

infrastructure

Women 34.44 80% 35 72

Men 37.29 80% 25 84

Girls 42.06 80% 30 83

Boys 45.6 80% 30 83

Outcome Indicator 4: MAG teams completed almost 80% of targeted clearance during the reporting period.

This underachievement was a result of multiple reasons such as operational difficulties where ground and

terrain conditions slow down the clearance pace. Extreme weather conditions during the rainy season in

Lebanon, more than the regularly planned days, affected team activities and caused loss of outputs. Land uses

has broadly corresponded with what MAG anticipated at proposal stage.

26

Outcome Indicator 5: 75.5% of land cleared is used for agriculture and safe access allows beneficiaries to

improve their livelihoods through increased activities. Agriculture in southern Lebanon is the main livelihood

activity. As highlighted above, some people chose to use contaminated land for economic activities prior to

clearance, and so have not reported any improvements in their livelihoods.

Outcome Indicator 6: Though a smaller percentage of the land released supported services and infrastructure,

communities reported a significant improvement in their access to these services. The percentage against

women is slightly lower, which is indicative of cultural norms in the Lebanese context.

Cross-Cutting Issues

Gender: MAG’s gender balanced CL teams use participatory rural appraisal methodologies tailored to the

specific vulnerabilities of men, women, boys and girls which promote the participation of everyone in all

aspects of the project, particularly as decision-makers in development groups and as beneficiaries of

activities. MAG ensures that activities take place in a context which is suited to specific needs of women,

visiting certain times and at locations such as individual homes, to enable women to have an equal voice in

the HMA process. By providing tailored RE information, MAG is ensuring that women, girls, boys, and men

can benefit from the valuable information made available, and is reporting on progress using Sex Age

Disaggregated Data (SADD) for verification of groups reached during delivery.

MAG engaged support from GMAP to carry out a two-day gender training workshop with the LMAC during

this reporting period. Participation from LMAC was engaging and high level, and after the two days, many

reported having a better understanding of gender and diversity in mine action. The next step is for GMAP to

carry out a gender and diversity assessment of LMAC in 2018 in order to verify if knowledge gained during

the workshop has been applied.

Conflict Sensitivity: MAG currently recruits more than 160 national staff members, mostly from villages and

communities within MAG operational area. Staff members are aware of all sensitivities related to conflict,

and social conventions. MAG has an excellent reputation in the areas where its teams have been operating,

and has good relations with different political parties and local authorities. The CL team comprising one

female and one male CL assistant managed by a highly experienced CLM, ensures all members of the

affected communities are targeted taking into consideration gender sensitivities and any other sensitivities.

Innovation: Across the programme MAG works to consistently strive towards improvements in efficiency

and effectiveness and demonstrate value for money through innovation. On a technical level this is

demonstrated through MAG’s long standing active engagement with the United States Department of

Defence Humanitarian Demining Research and Development Program to conduct Operational Field

Evaluations (OFEs) on new, innovative mechanical asset technology. Another example of innovative practice

is the CL approach to Risk Education, where methods of delivery include the use of a puppet theatre to raise

awareness in schools and community centres.

MAG remains the only mine action actor in Lebanon that owns and uses mechanical machines in support of

manual clearance activities. MAG deploys mechanical machines to excavate land, remove rocks, open access

lanes and for land preparation purposes depending on terrain and soil conditions. Where permitted, machines

are used to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of manual clearance and in some cases used for land

release through technical survey on minefield sites.

27

Sustainability: Out of a total of 166 staff members in the programme, MAG only deploys 2 expats. Senior

operational and managerial positions are held by national staff members who take part in the design,

planning and implementation of impact driven mine action projects. Under this project and other projects

implemented by MAG, the Training, Monitoring and Evaluation Unit conducts training for different

operational staff members who are then promotes to senior position such as supervisors, team leaders and

deputy team leaders.

Integral to MAG’s work is consideration of the impact of HMA on watercourses and ground water,

environment, vegetation and livestock and where possible clearance sites are left in the state in which they

were found. Additionally, the Mechanical team leave the ground in a state as close to original as possible, with

all pits and holes refilled and topsoil replaced. Mechanical assets are properly maintained to prevent leak of

oil or other fluids into the environment. Comprehensive post-demolition clear-up takes place, with the

minimum number of explosives possible used and full detonation carried out through application of

appropriate drills and procedures.

Collaboration/coordination with local partners: The value and impact of this project will be enhanced

through the already long-established linkages held with beneficiaries and local authorities at field level.

Furthermore, MAG maintains a strong relationship with key stakeholders at regional and national level

including the RMAC and LMAC, UN agencies and international NGOs.

MAG has always coordinated with the LMAC to promote changes and innovation in mine action in Lebanon.

The excellent relations with the LMAC and the close coordination with other actors and especially with NPA

have led to improved and updated NMAS that will allow for increase efficiency of mine action activities.

Other – changes to the programme

The LMAC have recently had their milestone review to assess what was already achieved under cluster

munition clearance in Lebanon and what is required to reach a Lebanon free from the impact of cluster

munitions by 2021. The Government of Lebanon needs all support available to reach this target and address

its commitments under the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM). With increased efficiency and updated

NMAS, cluster munition clearance over the next reporting period will be more effective.

The programme will continue to focus on clearance activities on the Blue Line to support the socioeconomic

development of communities living in southern Lebanon. The destruction of a significant number of landmines

on the Blue Line and the release of larger areas of land will allow for increased impact and support to Lebanese

and Syrian communities living in targeted areas. MAG will also support the Government of Lebanon fulfil its

commitments in reaching Lebanon free from the impact of cluster munitions by 2020.

As noted in the output section of this report and the original project risk analysis, the tasking of the LMAC is a

major factor affecting MAG’s ability to meet operational targets. MAG continues to liaise with the LMAC and

maintains positive relations, as evidenced by MAG’s influence on the development of the new NMAS, which

incorporates more efficient operational methodologies, which will see the rate of clearance increase. MAG

will continue to work with the LMAC to advocate for high impact tasking in order to meet beneficiary targets.

28

Case Study

“MAG is not only saving human beings, but also the

environment. Because of MAG, Kafartebnit village prospers

again.” Ali Serhan, 58 years old, municipal clerk

Kafartebnit is a village situated 4 km from Nabatieh and 77 km

from the Lebanese capital Beirut. Surrounded by the Beaufort

Castle and the Litany River, though small this is a village of note in southern Lebanon.

In April 2016, a MAG team deployed to CBU 197 FO, northeast Kafartebnit, where a vast area is

contaminated with cluster bombs from the July 2006 Israeli bombing campaign.

"CBU 197 FO includes a natural reserve, water reservoir, housing and grazing areas that need to be cleared

and become safe for the locals and visitors." Hussein Badereddine, MAG site supervisor

" In 2014, Kafartebnit municipality prepared plans to establish the natural reserve. But when it was time to

start we were faced with a deadly threat. The contamination hindered our project." Said Abed Idriss –

Mokhtar

MAG has cleared 138,497m2 and removed around 284 items. When MAG teams finished clearing the nature

reserve, Kafartebnit municipality implemented their project and the area is now safe for children and all

visitors. Visitors are expected to come to picnic, celebrate birthdays and relax. Almost all the population in

Kafartebnit will benefit from the nature reserve (11,600 direct beneficiaries).

"MAG benefits all the village after clearing our

land and brings safety and security again."

Confirmed Said Abed Idriss. “

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South Sudan


South Sudan’s long struggle for independence and subsequent civil conflict has led to widespread

contamination from landmines, cluster munitions and other ERW. The country poses a complex operating

environment, with an ongoing internal conflict drawn across ethnic lines affecting large portions of the

country. Nonetheless, operations under the grant have not been unduly impacted by security concerns. The

Multi-Task Team (MTT) deployed under the grant has remained operational throughout the reporting period

and met or exceeded all output targets in the first year of operations.

Operations in Year 1 were carried out Terekeka state, specifically the area around Tindilo payam. The area had

been identified in coordination with UNMAS, which continues to oversee tasking in South Sudan, as a high

priority for clearance with a security situation stable enough to begin operations. Cattle raiding and occasional

inter-tribal conflict has been reported near operations. These incidents have not targeted NGOs. And the

situation has also improved since Summer 2017, as local SPLA forces were deployed along the Tali-Tindilo

road; MAG continues to monitor the situation.

The productivity of the team—both the clearance and the CL capacity—were positive during the first year of

operations. MAG performed subsurface clearance on close to twice the expected battle area and conducted

almost double the number of MRE sessions expected. As a result, the number of recipients of MRE were more

than double that expected—a particularly noteworthy achievement given the difficult working conditions in

South Sudan—as were the number of community liaison focal points trained.

As a result of the impressive outputs of the CL component of the MTT, the outcomes relating to MRE were

nearly all met. Only boys did not report feeling safer following MRE activities at or above the proportion

expected. As a result of the success, and that MRE had been provided to all at-risk communities living near the

area of operations in Tindilo, the CL capacity was moved at the beginning of Year 2 to Yei in order to support

a clearance capacity funded by another donor. The outcomes for clearance, however, cannot yet be collected,

aswork continued on the site and the land was not handed- back/released to the local communities until

January 2018. MAG is planning to conduct a post-clearance assessment in May/June 2018 in accordance with

its standard operating procedures of at least six months after hand-over.

Dutch funding supports 1 x Multi Task Team. The team is divided into a clearance and CL capacity. The

clearance capacity consists of 1 x demining team leader, 1 x deputy demining team leader, 4 x deminers, 2 x

drives, 2 x medics and 1 x cook. The CL component is composed of 1 x CL team leader, 2 x CL liaison officers

and is supported by a driver. The one female CL officer and one female deminer are included in the MTT.

During year 1 this teams operated exclusively in the Tindilo area.


Output Target

Achieved Sep '16 - Dec '17

Percentage Complete

Mine Action Team Clearance

Subsurface Battle Area Cleared (m2)

87,000 159,951 183%

Areas Cleared (#) 1 1 100%

30

Survey Activities

Newly identified Area (m2) 0 6,400 -

Newly Identified Areas (#) 0 16 -


UXO (#) 0 94 -

EOD Call-outs (#) 0 10 -

Area Visually Searched During EOD Call-outs (m2)

0 4,000 -

Beneficiaries from clearance

Direct Male Beneficiaries (#) 309 465 150%

Direct Female Beneficiaries (#)

332 490 147%

Direct Male Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

486 631 129%

Direct Female Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

514 571 111%

Indirect Male Beneficiaries (#)

1,545 2,325 150%

Indirect Female Beneficiaries (#)

1,660 2,450 147%

Indirect Male Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

2,430 3,155 129%

Indirect Female Child Beneficiaries (17 or younger)

2,570 2,855 111%

Community Liaison

MRE Sessions (#) 186 363 195%

Male MRE Recipients (#) 700 2,006 286%

Female MRE Recipients (#) 740 2,039 275%

Child MRE Recipients (#) 2,280 4,698 206%

Number of training sessions 15 17 113%

Number of people trained (m/f)

30 61 203%

The impact of the CL capacity was indicated by both the over-achievement of the output targets and most of the expected outcomes. Engagement with at-risk communities has also left them feeling safer and better equipped to behave safely near contaminated areas, until MAG’s clearance capacity can remove the threats in and around Tindilo payam. MAG also secured the sustainability of the intervention by training Community Focal Points (18 women, 66 men) and teachers (26 men, 2 women) in the communities where MRE sessions were conducted. These figures of authority, particularly teachers in schools, are now equipped to convey MRE messages effectively to returnees and children after MAG’s teams have left the area. MAG has endeavoured to achieve as close a gender balance during training as possible. However, owing to the context of South Sudan, this has proven difficult. Community Focal Points are volunteers, who are vetted by MAG, and considerably fewer women have volunteered for the training. Teachers, likewise, especially in rural communities are mostly men.

31

MAG is also confident from anecdotal experience that the upcoming post-clearance impact assessment will

demonstrate the benefit of clearance activities and the impact the clearance capacity has had on conflict-

affected communities and IDPs through the reduction of threats to safety and the facilitation of socio-

economic reconstruction. Ninety-four dangerous items have been removed during clearance of a cluster

munition strike and while responding to spot tasks raised as the CL capacity engaged with people living near

the area of operations.

While the security situation remains an ongoing challenge to operations in South Sudan, in the relatively

stable but remote area of Tindilo the biggest impediment to operations was the weather. During the course

of the first year of operations, MAG faced one a challenging rainy seasons, in terms of both severity and

length. The amount of rain made transportation to the town extremely difficult, causing greater wear than

usual to vehicles and prevented operations from taking place on the low-lying minefields.


In this reporting period, the team delivered 363 RE sessions, which represented 195% of the targeted 186 RE

sessions. The significant overachievement was the result of a high rate of outputs immediately after

deployment. The team visited over 15 communities and a primary school within a 50Km radius from the

location of operations meeting 74% of the overall target in the first month and a half of operations. The CL

capacity was able to visit communities that have not previously received risk education, and against

expectations, the pace did not slow as a result of the rainy season or greater travel requirements. The team

was able to build strong relations with local communities quickly, which provided greater access for MRE

sessions, allowed communities to be prioritised for risk education and provided vital information on

contamination including 16 spot tasks. In excess of 9,000 MRE leaflets were distributed to at-risk people during

operations.

As a result of the strong outputs from the CL component, the number of beneficiaries reached 8,743 far

exceeded the planned 3,720 RE beneficiaries. Most of the sessions were delivered to at-risk local population

and targeted village elders, local authorities, schools, the general community and cattle herders, who often

travel from distant locations in search of water and pastures for their animals and may have no knowledge of

how to manage the risk that UXO poses to their safety and that of their cattle. In total by, disaggregated by

sex and age, the RE beneficiaries were: 2,241 girls; 2,457 boys; 2,006 men; and 2,039 women. The CL capacity

of the team achieved the following outcomes.


reduced


Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

1 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting feeling safer following land release and RE activities

Women 80 75 104 81

Men 76 75 111 79

Girls 124 75 46 84

Boys 122 75 72 67

2 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting increased

Women 56 75 123 95

Men 53 75 127 91

32

Unforeseen challenges (applicable to all indicators)

The CL teams were also affected by the heavy rains during the 2017 rainy season. Given the poor quality of

the road network in South Sudan, heavy rains sometimes rendered entire communities or villages inaccessible.

Reaching girls for surveys was especially difficult for cultural reasons, despite making up one quarter of the

total MRE beneficiaries. Community leaders will only permit surveys of girls by female community liaison

officers (the team of CLOs includes 2 men and 1 woman). However, girls in the community, who are less likely

to be found in schools, can also be more reserved than boys and therefore fewer girls are willing to participate

in the survey. Finally, the teams were also approached by large numbers of people in the communities asking

for help that MAG CL teams were not in a position to provide. These requests included financial support in

exchange for showing CL teams hazardous areas.

Methodological issues (applicable to multiple indicators)

MAG’s established SOP for risk education evaluation is to survey one person per RE session, to measure the

effectiveness of the session. However, the agreed methodology under the grant called for 10% of RE

participants to be surveyed. MAG’s community liaison teams adhered to MAG’s SOPs until September 2017,

with the result that roughly 5% of beneficiaries were surveyed until September 2017. Since October, the

teams have strictly followed the agreed methodology and surveyed 10% of participants since the error was

noted. In total, during year one, 140 men (32%), 129 women (30%), 107 boys (25%) and 55 girls (13%) were

surveyed.

Outcome Indicator 1: As explained in prior reports and in line with MAG SOPs, a formal impact assessment

of land use and community perception after clearance activities will be conducted six months following the

release of cleared land. As the first area of operations finalised in December 2018 and handed over in

January, with the impact assessment scheduled for May/June 2018, this first outcome indicator only takes

into account beneficiaries who had received risk education.

Survey findings from pre/post RE survey indicated that 77% (333 out of 431) of respondents reported feeling

safer and more confident on encountering ERW/mines following RE activities. Sex and age disaggregated

data of surveyed beneficiaries who reported feeling safer and more confident on encountering ERW/mines is

as follows: men 111 (79% of respondents); women 104 (81%); Boys 72 (72%); and Girls 46 (84%).

Outcome Indicator 2: MAG conducted pre/post MRE knowledge retention surveys on the same survey of

431 beneficiaries of MRE. Survey findings indicate that 398 of 431 respondents, or 92%, recorded a positive

increase in knowledge of ERW/Mines following RE session conducted in the reporting 2017.The portion of

survey respondents demonstrating increased knowledge consistently exceeded the targeted 75% for

women, men, girls, and boys. Children, who are those most at risk from injury as they do not understand the

risks of mines, demonstrated the greatest improvement in knowledge.

knowledge of ERW/mines following RE activities

Girls 86 75 53 96

Boys 86 75 94 88

3 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries surveyed demonstrating increased safe behaviour towards the dangers of ERW/mines following RE activities

Women 56 75 110 85

Men 53 75 113 81

Girls 86 75 48 87

Boys 86 75 95 89

33

Outcome Indicator 3: The survey analysis shows that 85% (or 366) of the participants

demonstrated increased safe behaviour towards the dangers of ERW/Mines following RE sessions.

As above, girls and boys demonstrated the greatest improvement in behaviour, which is a

particularly positive development as they are the most at-risk cohorts.




Target Actual

Indicator # % # %

4 m2 (%) of land released through TS/clearance

a) agriculture 43,500 50

b)community development

8,700 10

c) housing 17,400 20

d) infrastructure 17,400 20

5 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting improved livelihoods

Women 13 40

Men 12 40

Girls 21 40

Boys 19 40

6 Number of (%) direct beneficiaries surveyed reporting improved access to services and infrastructure

Women 5 15

Men 5 15

Girls 8 15

Boys 7 15

After the team mobilized in May 2017 the clearance capacity made strong progress. In the three quarters of

operations in 2017, MAG reached 183.5% of the Year 1 target for land clearance, with 159,951 square

meters cleared around Dengele. Dengele, with a population of 472 people, was particularly badly affected by

cluster munition contamination. The settlement had unknowingly been built in the middle of a cluster

munition site, and the people were therefore afraid to cultivate the land more than 50 meters from their

tukuls. The team removed 82 items from the tasked cluster munition strike, while also responding

successfully to 16 spot tasks raised by the CL team’s engagement with local communities. Each of the items

destroyed represents one fewer threat to girls, women, boys and men living in local communities.

As reported in the fifth quarterly report, a partial completion was achieved as of December 2018. The area

was formally released to the local community for use in January 2018. As noted in that report, the late

handover has meant that MAG has been unable to measure the impact of clearance on land use and the

improved development opportunities and access provided by the clearance. The impact assessment will be

conducted in May/June 2018. Anecdotally, meanwhile, the Chief of the Dengele village reported that some

members of the local community have begun to cultivate and graze cattle in the cleared areas. A recent

review of the area by the Technical Field Manager confirmed that the area is currently undergoing

preparations for planting that will begin in May. While the exact number of returnees can only be definitively

established through a post-clearance impact assessment, teams have seen evidence of people returning to

the town and more Tukuls (traditional huts) being constructed. In addition to cultivation, the land has also

been used by women and children to collect firewood and building materials. The previous and current

34

commission of Tindilo payam have both been very positive about MAG’s work in the area and all MAG teams

operating there have strong relationships with local authorities.

Outcome Indicator 4: 87,000 m of land has been cleared by the clearance team; little land has been reduced

by technical survey due to the high levels of contamination and the accuracy of the prior non-technical

surveys of the area. NTSGs require a minimum of 50 meters fade out extension from the outermost sub-

munitions found in order to ensure that the full cluster-munition strike area is cleared. The task completed

by the clearance team in Dengele expanded from 39,438m2 to 332,453m2.

Outcome Indicator 5 and 6: As explained above, the analysis of the use of land and what value of the land is

received by the community, will be reported in the subsequent report.


Gender: MAG’s Community Liaison (CL) teams include both men and women, and such capacity allows MAG

to ensure that all members of the community, regardless of gender and age, have a say in the way

interventions are structured and prioritised. MAG particularly looks for women decision-makers to include in

focus groups, to ensure that they are beneficiaries of activities. Although progress is slow, MAG has made

significant strides in recruiting women into male-dominated roles, and the Dutch-funded teams includes one

of our female deminers. In the next year, MAG is planning to conduct a training for women that aspire to be

deminers and they can be recruited as openings become available. Finally, all staff are bound by MAG’s

gender policy and the needs of MAG female staff are taken into account at all sites including remote

camping locations.

MAG is working with GMAP to improve gender and diversity mainstreaming in programming as well as in

organizational management. During the reporting period, GMAP reviewed its previous Action Plan on

Gender and Diversity for the MAG South Sudan office, assessing progress made and remaining challenges.

GMAP highlighted some progress, such as the lengthening of maternity leave for MAG staff from the

minimum granted by national law (8 weeks) up to 12 weeks. The percentage of female MAG staff remains

low, and therefore additional recommendations were made to MAG, including holding discussions with

other agencies on positive recruitment practices for women, and engaging with SPLA in discussions about

recruiting and training more female deminers. MAG is committed to these recommendations and will

continue to report on progress made in this area.

Conflict Sensitivity: MAG is committed to a do-no-harm approach that guarantees that its action will not

contribute to furthering conflict. Prior to deployment, liaison is intense between MAG and SPLA, the

Governor’s office and the commissioner. MAG security manager visits each site before deployment, and

once the community guarantee security to the team, the team can deploy. Tasking from UNMAS is a tasking

order with multiple tasks, the commissioner, village elders including women are invited to discuss priorities

and agree to them before MAG starts clearance. Any demining activity or risk education session must be

approved by local authorities before implementation. MAG demining teams are multi-ethnic, which is a

consideration when negotiating access with local communities. When asked how they feel about multi-

ethnic teams, the teams reported that the multi-ethic dimension of the teams was important to them and

should remain in place.

Innovation: During the course of this grant period, a number of innovations have improved productivity.

These include:

35

For areas contaminated by CM, MAG clears the vegetation by hand in accordance with UNMAS-approved

operational procedures. Currently this is done by trained deminers who can spend 4-5 more time clearing

vegetation than searching for CM with large-loop detectors. This is an inefficient use of trained deminers.

The possibility of sub-contracting the removal of vegetation to local villagers so that MAG’s deminers can

focus on locating and destroying CM, has been discussed with UNMAS during this reporting period. MAG

SOP is under constant review and hopes that this will be approved by the UNMAS and NMAA over the

next reporting period. Such an approach would improve the productivity of the MTTs and the overall

efficiency of CM clearance operations.

Current South Sudan labour laws only allow for a 5 day, 40 hour working week. Any working weekend

must be given back to the team as time of in lieu (TOIL) days which greatly increases leave periods. Leave

period taken over 10 days incur a mandatory minimum of 2 days refresher training before any operations

can take place. MAG will reduce the amount of time spent on leave periods to negate the need to conduct

refresher training, wherever possible. MAG currently provides maternity leave of four months fully paid

leave, whereas the legal requirement is 3 months of full leave and 45 days of half day of work. (note: the

law currently does not specify whether this is 100% pay or 50% pay.) MAG is currently considering

increasing maternity leave provided in order to make the policy better suited to the work requirements of

technical positions while simultaneously more closely adhering to international guidelines and cultural

norms regarding breastfeeding.

The current area of operations becomes extremely flooded throughout the wet season, July to October

every year. Travel from the area of operations to MAG HQ for annual leave periods, collecting rations and

equipment can become extremely time consuming, often reaching four days during the peak of wet

season compared to one day during the dry season. Therefore, MAG is adjusting its work schedules so that

teams will maximise field time and minimise movements through the wet season.

This MTT is a relatively small team with no mechanical assets. MAG has a Bozena 4 with flail and mulcher

head which can increase the speed of clearance due to enhanced vegetation cutting and although not

funded by this grant may, on some occasions be able to aid operations in those areas very difficult to clear

the vegetation.

Teams will prioritise clearance in line with weather conditions to ensure low lying waterlogged task in the

wet season are cleared before the rains prevent operations.

Sustainability: MAG’s community liaison teams train community focal points (CFPs) in our area of

operations. A total of 84 CFPs (66 men and 18 women) have been trained in the communities to reinforce

MRE messages and report any suspected hazard areas, furthering MAG’s goal of sustainability of the project

at the community level.

Other – changes to the programme

In January 2018 the community liaison component of the MTT was moved to the town of Yei in the

southwest of Central Equatoria. This was as a result of the overachievement of MRE targets during the

previous year of operations and the greater need of this level of intervention in and around Yei, where MAG

has already deployed a clearance team under a different grant. The clearance element of the team will move

to Yei as well, following completion of the current CM BAC task in Tindilo. This is likely to be at the end of

June 2018, but the nature of BAC sites is that completion time can only be estimated due to expansion

resulting from fade-outs required by the National Technical Standards and Guidelines.

Yei is a high priority area for clearance given the humanitarian needs following the increase in conflict in the

area following the eruption of violence in July 2016. Contamination in Yei is in close proximity to the town

36

centre, including houses, gardens and farmland. Operations in Yei town will allow MAG to reach a significant

number of beneficiaries, although clearance in Yei may prove more time consuming due to greater

population density and higher level of metal debris.

While the Dutch-funded operations will take place in Yei, MAG will continue to maintain sufficient capacity in

Terekeka state and expects that Terekeka state will be completed within two years, in part thanks to the

support from the Dutch government during 2017 and the beginning of 2018.

The deployment to Yei is a part of MAG’s expansion of the area of operations in South Sudan. This has been

made possible by the lessons learnt during and following the evacuation in 2016, in particular the employment

of a Juba-based Regional Security Manager and improved liaison with international and national authorities.

MAG is pleased to note that throughout the reporting period, international efforts at resolving the conflict

have taken place under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) the UN; the

UK, USA and Norway (the Troika); and the wider international community. However, these efforts have yet to

yield significant progress, and it is unlikely that elections will be held as planned in July 2018, although no

announcements have been made. Nonetheless, MAG has not experience any significant security incidents

since restarting operations in 2017.

Case Study

Case study: A hand grenade accident involving four children in Pakujo, Atende Boma-Yei River state.

The worsening of the security

situation in June 2016, led Mr.

Denis Ladu and his wife, Harriet

Opani, to flee from Morobo village,

eight kilometers from Yei town.

They settled in Pakujo village,

situated 500 meters from Yei town.

Mr Ladu spoke to MAG’s

Community Liaison capacity

funded by the Dutch Government,

telling them that before he had

been forced from his home he had

cultivated cassava, maize, sorghum

and sweet potatoes, while also

rearing animals such as goats and

cattle for family consumption. This

has all been lost.

After three months in Pakujo, food became scarce. Rather than face starvation, Mr. Ladu and his wife decided

to return to Morobo in September, despite the risks. They needed to collect food for their children. Setting

out for Morobo, they decided the risk was too great for their children and left them in Pakujo.

Not long after leaving, Mr. Ladu and his wife heard an explosion. They immediately returned back to Pakujo,

where they found people crying with the worst message that any parent could hear: their four children had

been killed in an explosion. They had found an unexploded hand grenade left over from the years of conflict

in South Sudan. As with any children, they were curious and played with it.

Mr. Ladu and his wife, Harriet Opani with MAG’s CL Officer.

37

After the confusion, Mr. Ladu and his wife found one of their children had been killed, with three seriously

injured. They rushed them to Yei teaching hospital where they later survived. Mr. Ladu expressed his regrets

to MAG’s Community Liaison Officer: “If it had not been for the war in Morobo, my children would not have

been involved in such an accident”.

In January 2018 when MAG deployed its Community Liaison team to Yei, they started conducting MRE sessions

to displaced children and adults in the area. A clearance capacity under another donor was conducting

clearance of cluster and other explosive remnants of war nearby. On receiving the risk education, Ms Opani

said, ”I have benefited a lot from the risk education we received today. I wish it had been before the incident.

My children would not have played with that grenade that killed and injured them”. Mr. Ladu added “I will

continue teaching my remaining children with the leaflets you have given me in the evening“. He encouraged

others to keep emphasizing this safety message to our other children in the community.

“Even we the adults, will utilize this safety message to help us recognize mine and bombs and report any

dangerous items to the community leaders” he said, while thanking MAG for their work made possible through

generous Dutch funding.

38

Annex 1 – Year 1 Financial Progress Report

MAG : Dutch 2016-2020 Programme

Dutch Programme Finance Status at 31st December 2017

Figures in EUR

Total By Country 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 TotalBudget

2016/17

Actual

2016/17

Variance

2016/17

Variance %

2016/17

Remaining

Budget 2018 to

End of Project

Sep-Dec Sep -Dec Jan-Dec Jan-Dec Jan-Aug

DRC 330,488 958,344 319,448 - - 1,608,280 1,288,832 1,048,525 240,307 19% 559,755

Iraq 342,888 972,450 958,116 741,798 494,532 3,509,784 1,315,338 1,172,100 143,238 11% 2,337,684

Lebanon 376,691 817,697 544,368 544,368 362,912 2,646,036 1,194,388 913,557 280,831 24% 1,732,479

South Sudan - 527,616 633,168 633,168 422,112 2,216,064 527,616 548,860 21,244- -4% 1,667,204

Multi Country 147,965 237,596 123,596 119,096 82,731 710,984 385,561 69,259 316,302 82% 641,725

Iraq - Emergency - 1,284,225 915,775 - - 2,200,000 1,284,225 1,007,088 277,137 22% 1,192,912

1,198,032 4,797,928 3,494,471 2,038,430 1,362,287 12,891,148 5,995,960 4,759,389 1,236,571 21% 8,131,759

DRC by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %

Staff Costs 239,416 718,248 239,416 - - 1,197,080 957,664 748,944 208,720 22% 448,136

Travel 6,992 20,976 6,992 - - 34,960 27,968 62,949 34,981- -125% 27,989-

Equipment Purchase 11,040 - - - - 11,040 11,040 - 11,040 100% 11,040

Equipment Running Costs 43,600 130,800 43,600 - - 218,000 174,400 139,661 34,739 20% 78,339

Programme Supplies 29,072 87,216 29,072 - - 145,360 116,288 93,978 22,310 19% 51,382

Other Costs 368 1,104 368 - - 1,840 1,472 2,993 1,521- -103% 1,153-

330,488 958,344 319,448 - - 1,608,280 1,288,832 1,048,525 240,307 19% 559,755

Iraq by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %

Staff Costs 217,982 775,590 758,554 602,838 401,892 2,756,856 993,572 827,906 165,667 17% 1,928,951

Travel 8,580 28,950 28,048 23,034 15,356 103,968 37,530 9,655 27,875 74% 94,313

Equipment Purchase 81,288 - - - - 81,288 81,288 88,898 7,610- -9% 7,610-

Equipment Running Costs 18,975 70,350 69,283 53,724 35,816 248,148 89,325 94,186 4,861- -5% 153,963

Programme Supplies 15,854 96,780 101,462 61,608 41,072 316,776 112,634 151,282 38,648- -34% 165,494

Other Costs 209 780 769 594 396 2,748 989 174 815 82% 2,574

342,888 972,450 958,116 741,798 494,532 3,509,784 1,315,338 1,172,100 143,238 11% 2,337,684

TOTAL4 Year Contracted Budget

39

Lebanon by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %

Staff Costs 347,744 754,624 502,092 502,092 334,728 2,441,280 1,102,368 848,542 253,826 23% 1,592,738

Travel 1,678 3,642 2,424 2,424 1,616 11,784 5,320 3,462 1,858 35% 8,322

Equipment Purchase 1,170 2,470 1,560 1,560 1,040 7,800 3,640 5,757 2,117- -58% 2,043

Equipment Running Costs 16,980 36,860 24,540 24,540 16,360 119,280 53,840 31,568 22,272 41% 87,712

Programme Supplies 8,191 18,085 12,408 12,408 8,272 59,364 26,276 23,621 2,655 10% 35,743

Other Costs 928 2,016 1,344 1,344 896 6,528 2,944 605 2,339 79% 5,923

376,691 817,697 544,368 544,368 362,912 2,646,036 1,194,388 913,557 280,831 24% 1,732,479

South Sudan by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %

Staff Costs - 420,096 504,144 504,144 336,096 1,764,480 420,096 312,417 107,679 26% 1,452,063

Travel - 5,040 6,048 6,048 4,032 21,168 5,040 3,962 1,078 21% 17,206

Equipment Purchase - 30,490 36,588 36,588 24,392 128,058 30,490 109,016 78,526- -258% 19,042

Equipment Running Costs - 51,290 61,548 61,548 41,032 215,418 51,290 78,091 26,801- -52% 137,327

Programme Supplies - 20,700 24,840 24,840 16,560 86,940 20,700 45,375 24,675- -119% 41,565

Other Costs - - - - - - - - - 0% -

- 527,616 633,168 633,168 422,112 2,216,064 527,616 548,860 21,244- -4% 1,667,204

Cross Cutting by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %

Staff Costs 18,473 163,920 93,920 89,420 61,947 427,680 182,393 42,279 140,114 77% 385,401

Travel 3,522 24,567 13,567 13,567 10,045 65,268 28,089 5,522 22,568 80% 59,746

Equipment Purchase 122,411 38,434 5,434 5,434 3,623 175,336 160,845 - 160,845 100% 175,336

Equipment Running Costs 1,200 3,600 3,600 3,600 2,400 14,400 4,800 - 4,800 100% 14,400

Programme Supplies 83 250 250 250 167 1,000 333 16,458 16,125- -4837% 15,458-

Other Costs 2,275 6,825 6,825 6,825 4,550 27,300 9,100 5,000 4,100 45% 22,300

147,965 237,596 123,596 119,096 82,731 710,984 385,561 69,259 316,302 82% 641,725

Iraq Emergency by Expense 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Total Budget Actual Variance Variance %2257

Staff Costs - 744,225 808,723 - - 1,552,948 744,225 715,128 29,097 4% 837,820

Travel - 23,890 - - - 23,890 23,890 10,893 12,997 54% 12,997

Equipment Purchase - 415,227 - - - 415,227 415,227 177,019 238,208 57% 238,208

Equipment Running Costs - 59,781 90,187 - - 149,968 59,781 71,815 12,034- -20% 78,153

Programme Supplies - 26,448 14,026 - - 40,474 26,448 29,844 3,396- -13% 10,630

Other Costs - 14,653 2,840 - - 17,493 14,653 2,390 12,264 84% 15,103

- 1,284,225 915,775 - - 2,200,000 1,284,225 1,007,088 277,137 22% 1,192,912

40

Budget variance analysis by country:

DRC

Staff Costs:

There is currently an underspend on international staff costs due to early vacant positions in the programme, which have now been covered by other roles

or have since been replaced. Due to successful capacity building initiatives, the International Site Supervisor positions have been replaced by national

Technical Field Managers.

Travel:

High increase of the number of local flights, due diverse areas where the activities are being undertaken, from North to South Ubangui, via West have caused

an overspend on this budget line. Also recruitment of some qualified staff who are not from the areas we are working in have resulted in more flights for their

mission to the field areas and for their quarterly stand downs. Turnover of TFMs also led to have renewal accreditations from National Mine Action Authorities

(NMAA) in addition to the NGO full re-accreditation (Technical & Administrative) required by NMAA following their take-over of responsibility of UNMAS, that

entails to have more flights than planned.

Equipment Purchase:

The purchase of two motorbikes will now take place during 2018. The teams are currently using motorbikes that were purchased using prior Dutch funding,

however two require replacement due to wear and tear.

Equipment Running Costs:

Underspending based on initial forecast of phased expenditure and the temporary stop on HMA activities. We do not anticipate an underspend on this line

by the end of the project.

Programme Supplies:

Underspending based on initial forecast of phased expenditure and the temporary stop on HMA activities. We do not anticipate an underspend on this line

by the end of the project.

41

Other Costs:

Market price of Field Visibility costs were higher than originally anticipated.

IRAQ

Staff costs/Travel:

Over the project period, expansion of the programme with significant additional donor funding has meant the proportionate allocation of these support costs

to this project is less than was anticipated at proposal stage.

Programme Supplies:

The programme has worked to replenish old stocks of PPE, and purchased a porta cabin for technical staff at the Chamchamal base. This base is also the

location for MAG’s training school. The Dutch grant has made a proportional contribution to these essential expansions of office space and accommodation.

Other costs:


to this project is less than was anticipated at proposal stage. Additionally, the programme planned to implement a vehicle monitoring system in two stages,

initially Erbil then rolling out across other bases. Erbil has been implemented but there has been a delay to further roll out.

IRAQ – EMERGENCY

Travel:


to this project is less than was anticipated at proposal stage.

Equipment Purchase:

With additional funding granted later in the year, the programmes plans to procure additional vehicles and equipment have been affected by the stand down

of operations in the last quarter of 2017.

42


Following the suspension of operations, teams were redeployed to conduct clearance on legacy minefields in Dohuk Governorate. The journey to these sites

and terrain on the sites is more challenging than in the areas where the teams had been tasked prior to the stand down, warranting additional maintenance

of vehicles and equipment.

Programme Supplies:

MAG’s Dohuk base provides support to both legacy and new area operations, and has required renovation and additional accommodation and supplies in

order to meet the needs of both these operational areas. The Dutch project has made a proportional contribution to this.

Other costs:


to this project is less than was anticipated at proposal stage. Additionally, the programme planned to implement a vehicle monitoring system in two stages,

initially Erbil then rolling out across other bases. Erbil has been implemented but there has been a delay to further roll out.

LEBANON

Staff costs/Travel:

There were underspends in the project period primarily due to vacancies: we had budgeted for 10 deminers per month whereas the team comprised of only

8 or 9 deminers in some months. There was also an underspend for the Technical Field Manager (TFM) salary that was not needed in Y1.

The amount budgeted for capacity building overseas and travel for training that was not used in Y1. Operational changes in addition to context changes (Blue

Line clearance, IED clearance and surveying) required some changes in capacity building plans. This budget will be spent during Y2/Y3 to address programme

needs.

Equipment Purchase and Running Costs:

In line with the new NMAS that required procuring new detectors and due to program need of new visors, the program decided to buy detectors spares and

visors from the staff cost line underspends.

43

Mechanical assets maintenance were originally planned for Y1 but were not needed. This maintenance will be carried out in the coming year.

Other costs:

The project only spent the amount needed for visibility for this period and the remaining amount will be spent in the coming year against a detailed visibility

plan.

SOUTH SUDAN

Staff Costs:

There is currently an underspend on international staff costs due to an early vacant position in the programme, which has now been filled.

Travel:

Due to delays in recruiting the International Site Supervisor, travel costs have been lower than originally anticipated.

Equipment Purchase:

The programme purchased a 13-seater land cruiser and an ambulance, as required for the team to operate. The original budget had included a phased

purchase of the vehicles rather than outright purchase in Y1. MAG do not anticipate that this variance will affect the overall expenditure on this budget

category at the end of the project period.


The budget for equipment running costs is over the original budget for 2017 due to the purchase of a spares package with the new vehicles. MAG do not

anticipate that this variance will affect the overall expenditure on this budget category at the end of the project period.

Programme Supplies:

To achieve optimum economies of scale and value for money, the programme have stocked up on supplies during Y1. MAG do not anticipate that this variance

will affect the overall expenditure on this budget category at the end of the project period.

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