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Eva Clifford

  • De-miners
  • Dancers
  • Writing
    • On Photography
    • Other
  • News
  • POSTCARDS
  • Contact

Female de-miners

The inhabitants of Nagorno Karabakh have suffered from the dangerous legacy of war for over two decades. The Nagorno Karabakh War (1988 - 1994) took place between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan, over the landlocked mountainous region, a dispute that remains unresolved to this day.

Now, landmines and unexploded ordnance left over from the conflict continue to contaminate the land, putting lives at risk and crippling the region’s economy.

Dedicated to clearing landmines across the world, The HALO Trust has been operating in Nagorno Karabakh since 2000. In 2015, HALO employed its first female de-mining team; there are now 11 women, with more undergoing training this year.

Defying traditional gender roles, these women are able to provide for their families as well as making a tangible difference in their communities.

Inga, one of The HALO Trust’s de-miners, at the HALO base near the Karegah minefield in Berdzor (Lachin), Nagorno-Karabakh, 2018.
Anti-aircraft cables stretch across a valley in the Lachin region of Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite the ceasefire of 1994, tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain high over the contested region.
Varditer says the hardest part of the job is being away from her family. From Monday to Friday she is based at the minefield but dedicates the whole weekend to her kids, aged 16 and 9.
Alvina searches for PMN-2 anti-personnel mines at Marzili. Manufactured in the Soviet Union, these mines can be triggered by any form of pressure and were used heavily during the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994). While originally designed to disable
Christine at Aghavnatun minefield.
Alvina at Marzili minefield. In the background, red posts mark the boundary between cleared and uncleared land.
Lucine's motivation to become a de-miner was personal; her uncle was killed by an OZM-72 mine. Typically activated by a tripwire, the mine that killed him was triggered accidentally by someone else.
Emergency first aid gear at the Aghavnatun minefield. Each de-mining team typically contains two paramedics.
Military positions once lined the tops of these hills during the Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994). When the residents of a nearby village noticed a landmine they alerted The HALO Trust, who dispatched a team to survey and clear the area. The village
Looking across the valley from the Aghavnatun minefield.
Svetlana at Marzili minefield. Behind her, red markers show the boundary between cleared and uncleared land.
Christine working at Aghvnatun minefield.

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