Arms
Many urgent arms-related challenges should be addressed to protect civilians affected by conflict and its deadly legacy. Antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions have been prohibited outright, but the ban treaties need to be universalized and complied with fully. Militaries use a wide-range of explosive weapons—artillery, rockets, mortars, air-delivered bombs and more—in populated areas, frequently causing indiscriminate harm to civilians. Incendiary weapons cause painful and cruel injuries, yet they continue to be used. The development of fully autonomous weapons—“killer robots”—that could select and engage targets without human intervention need to be stopped to prevent a future of warfare and policing outside of human control and responsibility. The Arms Division of Human Rights Watch works to advance humanitarian disarmament and enhance protections for civilians from various weapons that inflict unnecessary harm. We document the negative impact of weapons and promote the establishment and implementation of international treaties and legal norms.
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Human Rights Watch will focus its comments on three paragraphs of Section 4 that should be strengthened to help the declaration better protect civilians from the humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
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Section 3, and especially 3.3, is the heart of the Political Declaration. The strength of Section 3 – of the operative commitments – will determine the eventual effectiveness and success of the Declaration. Clarity and boldness are needed here more than anywhere else.
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Human Rights Watch appreciates Ireland’s efforts to maintain momentum on a political declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The latest draft is a good basis for further discussions, but it should be improved in several ways.
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Ethiopia: Unlawful Shelling of Tigray Urban Areas
UN Inquiry Needed into Alleged Violations by Warring Parties
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Armenia: Unlawful Rocket, Missile Strikes on Azerbaijan
Investigate Indiscriminate Attacks, Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
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Azerbaijan: Unlawful Strikes in Nagorno-Karabakh
Investigate Alleged Indiscriminate Attacks, Use of Explosive Weapons
News
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Statement on Section Four to the Consultations on Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
Delivered by Bonnie Docherty, Senior Researcher
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Statement on Section Three to the Consultations on Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
Delivered by Steve Goose, Executive Director
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Statement on the Preamble to the Consultations on Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
Delivered by Bonnie Docherty, Senior Researcher
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Unlawful Attacks on Medical Facilities and Personnel in Nagorno-Karabakh
New Research on Three Incidents from 2020 Conflict
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Talks Restart to Curb Explosive Weapons Use in Populated Areas
Strong Political Declaration Needed to Reduce Civilian Harm
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Ethiopia: Unlawful Shelling of Tigray Urban Areas
UN Inquiry Needed into Alleged Violations by Warring Parties
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Killer Robots: Survey Shows Opposition Remains Strong
Stalled Diplomatic Talks Highlight Urgent Need for Political Leadership
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US Defense Contractor Distances Itself from Cluster Munitions
Northrop Grumman Move Shows Weapon’s Stigma is Spreading
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