Teaching children how to behave safely in mined areas is one of Ukraine’s major tasks today. The experience of other countries can help us deal with this problem.
In the “How To Teach Mine Safety To Children” online course, one of the lectures is dedicated to the experience of Croatia. While the four-year war in the country ended in 1995, the demining and explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) continues to this day.
How has Croatia managed to achieve such results? How does EORE work there and who is responsible for it? Marta Kovačić, a civil protection specialist at the Croatian Ministry of the Interior and a course expert, shares more about this.
Legislative Context
The Law on Demining was passed in Croatia in 1996, and the government established the Croatian Mine Action Center (CROMAC) in 1998.
Croatia acceded to the Ottawa Convention, which stipulated mandatory EORE among the population. This was to become as important a component of the state’s mine action as demining, marking mined areas, and support for mine victims.
Mine Education In Croatian Schools
The Croatian Mine Action Center has always worked in partnership with educators. They supported any school activities on the topic of mine safety. Depending on the age and audience, experts used different types of messages and approaches.
In less than 10 years of active mine education in Croatia, the number of victims of risky behavior has significantly decreased.
Developing a Network Of EORE Specialists In the Regions
In addition to working with the education sector, Croatia has engaged a large network of people to educate the population at the regional level.
Around 50 EORE specialists were trained in four regions with the participation of the United Nations and the International Red Cross Society.
However, this number of people was not enough. So the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the police, and the civilian sector joined the mine awareness campaign to spread the information across the country.
What Measures Are Taken In Croatia To Promote Safe Behavior?
Croatia commemorates International Mine Awareness Day, holds campaigns during mine awareness month, and creates broadcasts and new segments on radio and television.
The country is developing specific communication campaigns for children, farmers, hunters, and other risk groups.
There are also restrictions at the legislative level that help to encourage and popularize proper behavior among the population. For example, in Croatia, there is an administrative fine for entering an area that is marked as a minefield or mined area.
If you are an educator or a representative of the State Emergency Service or the National Police, join the course at http://courses.bezpeka.info. In the online course, developed by the Cultural Platform Zakarpattya NGO, you will learn even more about the international experience in EORE to become an up-to-date EORE expert for children and adolescents!
Olena Smirnova-Kochetkova