“The need is enormous. We are finding explosive hazards in every street, every house, every alley, every piece of infrastructure.” 

— Pehr Lodhammar (UNMAS Programme Manager from Iraq)

Following wars and the occupation of many areas of the country by ISIL, Iraq is littered with explosive devices, including thousands of IEDs. Major population centers and small villages are unsafe for the people returning home. The United Nations is helping the Government of Iraq to clear these hazards village by village, street by street.  The people of Iraq, like people everywhere, deserve and need safe homes.

The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) opened the very first exhibition of Safe Home. at Photoville NY 2018. Featuring photos by Cengiz Yar, the exhibition highlighted the challenging and demanding work that the organization carries out to create a “safe home” for almost two million internally displaced people in Iraq.