Armed Conflict and Civilian Protection Initiative
Over the past two months, several developments in the realm of disarmament have raised alarms. Lithuania submitted its official notice of withdrawal from the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The US announced two new transfers of cluster munitions to Ukraine. The use of explosive weapons in populated areas escalated in Lebanon. However, alongside these setbacks, the importance of humanitarian disarmament remains evident. Numerous states and civil society organizations strongly criticized these negative trends, reinforcing the norm of protecting civilians from arms-inflicted harm. Most notably, the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization representing survivors of the atomic bombings. The prize honors the hibakusha’s decades-long anti-nuclear efforts, underscoring the value of humanitarian disarmament over time and providing a source of renewed motivation for advocates working to prioritize humanitarian principles in arms governance.
In case you missed it:
- From August 26-30 the Convention on Conventional Weapons Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems met in Geneva for its second session of the year. Stop Killer Robots delivered a statement at the meeting in which the coalition urged states to move beyond building a common understanding of the threat posed by autonomous weapons systems and start negotiating a new legal text. Read more in Reaching Critical Will’s CCW Report.
- On September 9, the Cluster Munition Coalition launched its 15th annual Cluster Munition Monitor report, highlighting key developments and ongoing concerns. For example, the last states parties with cluster munition stockpiles completed destruction of the weapons in 2023. In the same year, 219 individuals were killed or injured by cluster munitions. The weapons were used in Ukraine, Myanmar, and Syria, and other countries had remnants of cluster munitions that caused casualties. Two states (Nigeria and South Sudan) joined the convention, while Lithuania announced it would withdraw.
- The 12th Meeting of States Parties of Convention on Cluster Munitions occurred in Geneva from September 10-13. The meeting was a “critical test” of the convention, given Lithuania’s decision to withdraw, wrote Peter Herby and Tamar Gabelnick. According to their analysis, states “rose to the occasion” with “around two-thirds of participating states expressing deep concern over Lithuania’s departure” in their national or joint statements.
- On September 24, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, and the Solomon Islands ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. There are now 73 states parties, and 25 signatories.
- On September 25, President Biden announced his decision to transfer cluster munitions to Ukraine for the sixth time in less than 15 months, and on October 16, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a seventh transfer. Unlike earlier US announcements of transfers, in these two cases the Biden Administration did not specify the types of cluster munitions being sent despite calls for transparency. The US Cluster Munition Coalition issued a statement on October 17, saying that “[I]t’s deeply dismaying to see U.S. actions that run counter to the norm against these weapons.”
- On September 26, the world marked the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. During the United Nations’ high-level meeting commemorating the day, the secretary-general described nuclear weapons as a “double madness.” He highlighted both their terrifying potential to “wipe out entire populations in a single attack” and the alarming fact that “despite the enormous and existential risks these weapons pose, we are no closer to eliminating them than we were 10 years ago.”
- On September 26, the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW) expressed deep concern “over the increased airstrikes in towns and cities in Lebanon, as well as the rocket attacks launched against Israel.” INEW called on both Hezbollah and Israel to stop using heavy explosive weapons in populated areas in order to reduce risk to civilians. INEW also called on states that have endorsed the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas to promote its norms.
- On October 11, Nihon Hidankyo, a group of Japanese hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors), received the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize “for its efforts to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons and for demonstrating through witness testimony that nuclear weapons must never be used again.” The award not only honored the work and resiliency of the hibakusha but also recognized the significance of humanitarian disarmament’s people-centered approach to governing weapons.
- The 79th session of the UN General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament and International Security began in New York on October 7 and will continue to November 8. States have debated a range of arms-related topics and tabled resolutions relevant to humanitarian disarmament, such as autonomous weapons systems and nuclear legacies. Civil society statements, including a joint statement on humanitarian disarmament from 93 organizations, were delivered on October 16.
- The annual civil society Humanitarian Disarmament Forum, held in New York from October 18-20, attracted dozens of advocates. The group heard updates from old and new campaigns. Participants also discussed the impacts of recent armed conflicts, the challenges faced by and significance of humanitarian disarmament, how to best use the tools of the approach, and ways to better coordinate across campaigns. This year’s forum was organized by Norwegian People’s Aid and PAX.
Looking ahead, high contracting parties to the Convention on Conventional Weapons will convene for their annual meeting from November 13-15, where discussions will focus on issues such as autonomous weapons systems, incendiary weapons, and more. Following this, the Fifth Review Conference of the Mine Ban Treaty will take place from November 25-29 in Cambodia.