Canada's $3.02 billion in financial and military support for the Ukrainian war effort includes $4 million in funding for "gender-transformative mine action," a move that has brought questions and criticism on social media.
"This project from the HALO Trust aims to safeguard the lives and livelihoods of Ukrainians, including women and internally displaced persons, by addressing the threat of explosive ordnance present across vast areas of the country," the line item says, The National Post reported.
"Project activities include conducting non-technical surveys and subsequent manual clearance in targeted communities; providing capacity building to key national stakeholders; and establishing a gender and diversity working group to promote gender-transformative mine action in Ukraine," the item, coming in a press release about the war funding, stated.
But despite the jokes online and the resulting outcry, The HALO Trust, an organization based in the U.K. that dedicates itself to clearing away landmines in war zones around the world, said on its website that gender-inclusive demining means making the job for clearing landmines available for men and women.
"Clearing landmines inspires confidence by making land safe. It is also empowering for men and women alike," the site says. "With training and a living wage, they can take control of their destiny."
But with Canada's announcement, the word "gender" appears seven times in its press release, including speaking of "gender responsiveness" to fund food systems; fighting back against gender disparity in the Ukrainian media; and ensuring "gender-responsive" priorities in reconstruction efforts.
HALO said that its workforce grew from 400 men and women in Ukraine to 900 in 2023, and said it hopes to have 1,200 deminers on staff by the end of 2024.
"Ukraine has seen the heaviest landmine and unexploded ordnance contamination in Europe since WW2, with an estimated 6.1 million people at risk," HALO says, estimating that there are hundreds of thousands or potentially millions of active mines in the country. Further, there have been more than 1,000 civilian casualties from mines and 300 fatalities, the organization said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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