Annual Monitor report charts progress and setbacks in eradicating cluster munitions

(Geneva, 9 September 2024) New use, production, and transfers of cluster munitions by countries that have not banned these weapons threaten to undermine the norm established by the international treaty prohibiting cluster munitions, said the Cluster Munition Coalition today upon releasing its Cluster Munition Monitor 2024 report.

“Actions by countries that have not banned cluster munitions are putting civilians at risk and threatening the integrity and universality of the international treaty prohibiting these abhorrent weapons,” said Tamar Gabelnick, Director of the Cluster Munition Coalition. “It is imperative that all countries join the Convention on Cluster Munitions and help fulfil its goal of putting an end to suffering and casualties caused by cluster munitions.”

Cluster munitions are weapons that are fired from the ground by artillery, rockets, missiles, and mortar projectiles, or dropped by aircraft. They open in the air to disperse multiple submunitions or bomblets over a wide area. Many submunitions fail to explode on initial impact, leaving remnants that indiscriminately injure and kill—like landmines—for years until they are cleared and destroyed.

The 100-page Cluster Munition Monitor 2024 report provides a comprehensive overview of implementation and adherence to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions. A total of 112 states—including South Sudan, the last country to accede to the convention in August 2023—are party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which comprehensively prohibits cluster munitions and requires destruction of stockpiles and clearance of areas contaminated by cluster munition remnants, as well as the provision of risk education and assistance to victims.

According to the report, cluster munitions were used in Ukraine by both Russian and Ukrainian forces in 2023 and through the time of publication of the report, while new use of cluster munitions was also recorded in Myanmar and Syria during the reporting period. None of these countries have joined the international ban.

The report finds that Ukraine recorded the highest number of annual cluster munition casualties in the world for the second consecutive year, though the actual number of casualties is thought to be significantly higher than the number recorded. Cluster munitions have killed and injured over a thousand people in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country in February 2022.

Civilians accounted for 93% of the global casualties from cluster munitions in 2023, where the status was recorded. Children made up nearly half of all people killed and injured by cluster munition remnants in 2023. Cluster munition attacks also had direct and devastating impacts on civilian objects, including schools and hospitals.

Cluster munitions cause severe blast, burn, and fragmentation injuries that result in life-long medical and rehabilitation needs for most survivors. While some progress has been made in victim assistance—a core legal obligation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions—significant challenges persist, particularly in countries like Afghanistan and Lebanon, where healthcare systems are strained.

“Victim assistance is an area that Canada should be supporting. Our Feminist International Assistance Policy puts a focus on supporting human rights and grassroots organizations like survivor networks. However, Canada has rarely provided funding for victim assistance activities over the past ten years leaving survivors behind. A small investment can lead to huge improvements in the lives of the most vulnerable,” said Mines Action Canada Executive Director, Erin Hunt.

According to Cluster Munition Monitor 2024, a total of 28 countries and other areas are contaminated or suspected to be contaminated by cluster munition remnants, including 10 States Parties to the convention. Contamination from cluster munition remnants makes it perilous and difficult to access agricultural land, further endangering lives and livelihoods in affected areas. This was particularly notable in Ukraine, where there is indication that more agricultural land is contaminated by cluster munition remnants than by antipersonnel and antivehicle landmines combined.

The report notes a decrease in the area cleared of cluster munition remnants in 2023 compared to the previous year, highlighting the need for sustained funding and support to ensure that contaminated States Parties can meet their clearance obligations. In August 2023, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) became the ninth State Party to complete clearance of cluster munition contaminated areas, in accordance with the obligations set by the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

“States that have joined the convention face ongoing challenges in clearing land contaminated by cluster munition remnants due to limited funding and capacities, and difficulties in accessing contaminated areas because of security issues or challenging terrain," said Katrin Atkins, Editor for contamination, clearance, and risk education reporting in the Cluster Munition Monitor. “Also, in many affected States Parties, more contaminated areas are discovered even as the known ones are cleared.

In December 2023, the convention reached a major milestone when Peru completed the destruction of its stockpiled cluster munitions, becoming the last State Party to complete this obligation under the convention. Bulgaria, Slovakia, and South Africa announced the completion of the destruction of their respective cluster munition stocks in September 2023. These developments mean that States Parties have now collectively destroyed 100% of their declared cluster munition stocks, destroying 1.49 million cluster munitions and 179 million submunitions.

In an alarming development, Lithuania enacted a law in July 2024 approving its withdrawal from the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The withdrawal will take effect six months after Lithuania fulfils the steps for withdrawal required by the convention unless Lithuania retracts this measure or is engaged in armed conflict.

“Lithuania’s ill-considered move to leave the Convention on Cluster Munitions stains its otherwise excellent reputation on humanitarian disarmament and ignores the risks of civilian harm,” said Mary Wareham, Ban Policy Editor of Cluster Munition Monitor 2024 and Deputy Crisis, Conflict, and Arms Director at Human Rights Watch. “It’s not too late for Lithuania to heed calls to stop its planned withdrawal.”

Cluster Munition Monitor 2024 is the 15^th annual monitoring report by the Cluster Munition Coalition, the civil society coalition working in over 100 countries for a world without cluster munitions. The Cluster Munition Monitor 2024 report will be presented to the 12^th Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions at the United Nations in Geneva on 10-13 September 2024.

Ends

For more information, see:

• Download the report here.
• Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor, the-monitor.org
• Cluster Munition Coalition, icblcmc.org/about-cmc

For more information, contact:

• Erin Hunt, Executive Director, Mines Action Canada, (English), Tel +1 613241-3777, info[at]minesactioncanada.org in Victoria, Canada (PDT, UTC-7)
• Charles Bechara, ICBL-CMC Communications and Media Manager (English, French, Arabic), Tel. +41 (0) 78 323 51 44, media[at]icblcmc.org in Geneva, Switzerland (CEST/UTC+2)