Cambodia endured decades of violent conflict, civil war, and genocide that occurred from the 1960s through to the late 1990s. A generation on, landmines and other explosive remnants of war (ERW) remain a deadly legacy. The northwestern provinces bordering Thailand are particularly affected, home to the K5 mine belt, one of the most densely mined areas in the world. For the estimated one million Cambodians still living in contaminated areas, landmines are a painful reminder of Cambodia’s violent past and a current threat to their lives and livelihoods. 

These hidden threats continue to inflict immense suffering, with an average of one death or injury occurring per week. Casualties are especially high among poor rural farming communities who remain disproportionately affected. Much of the remaining contamination lies on arable land, severely restricting safe access to productive resources that communities depend on for their livelihoods. As pressure for land increases, driven by population growth and internal migration from land-poor provinces in the south and east to the north and northwest, many are forced to farm, build, and live on contaminated land, putting themselves at significant risk.  

In response to continued threat of landmine and ERW contamination, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), together with The HALO Trust, have delivered the project ‘Humanitarian Mine Action in Cambodia’. The overarching goal of the project is to reduce the threat posed by landmines and other ERW, while improving livelihood opportunities for communities in some of Cambodia’s most heavily contaminated areas in the northern and western provinces.

The project began on 1 January 2023 and will conclude on 31 December 2025. This evaluation will therefore serve as a final assessment of the project’s overall performance.

For more information, please see the attached Terms of Reference.