Statement to the Consultations on the Elements of a Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas

Thank you, Chair. The current draft text provides a good starting point for a strong political declaration to address the harms associated with the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It includes all of the key elements common to political declarations on armed conflict-related issues that Human Rights Watch identified in a November publication. Further changes to this draft text are needed, however, to achieve the declaration’s goal of ensuring civilians are adequately protected from the effects of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The declaration should clearly commit…

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