Throughout Iraq’s episodes of armed violence, the country was continuously contaminated with explosive hazards. These include improvised landmines and other improvised explosive devices (IED), as well as unexploded ordnance (UXO): Whenever combatants employ explosive ordnance, chances are high that not every rocket, grenade, mortar or other types of explosive ammunition explodes the way it was intended. IEDs, UXO and other explosive hazards remain in or on the ground, underneath rubble or in buildings and pose a threat to everyone who gets close to them. They can kill; they can blow off limbs and create terrible wounds. 

To protect people in Iraq from the dangers of explosive hazards, Explosive Ordnance Risk Education (EORE) seeks to prevent harm to civilians by reducing the risk of injury from explosive hazards. Saving civilians from the lethal effects of explosive accidents is a worthy cause in itself, but the goals of EORE go even further that preventing deaths and injuries from explosive hazards. It also seeks to reduce the social and economic impacts that are connected with them. Lastly this effort aims at supporting development in regions of Iraq that experienced armed conflict in the past. 

EORE applies two major methods to achieve its goals: Raising awareness about the dangers of explosive hazards among people at risk and promoting the adoption of safe behavior. The means to these methods are threefold: Public information dissemination, education and training and community liaison. 

These elements taken together form the definition of EORE: The term ‘Explosive Ordnance Risk Education’ (EORE) refers to activities which seek to reduce the risk of injury from EO by raising awareness of women, girls, boys and men in accordance with their different vulnerabilities, roles and needs, and promoting behavioural change. Core activities include public information dissemination, education and training.