States

Every country in the world can and should join the Convention on Cluster Munitions. It is a question of political will and placing a priority on the protection of civilians over outdated and indiscriminate weapons.

The Cluster Munition Coalition stands ready to provide advice, technical support and resources to all countries that have yet to ratify or accede to the convention. Contact us at info@icblcmc.org.

It is essential for the strength of the ban that all states join the convention, no matter the size of the country or whether or not they are affected or have used, produced or stockpiled the weapon. With every new country that joins, the global norm rejecting this weapon is strengthened and the greater the protection for civilians will be. By joining the convention, each state gives one more voice in favor of the ban.

In addition, when states not affected by cluster munitions join, they demonstrate solidarity with those that have suffered from their use. The convention is part of the overall fabric of international humanitarian law and the global effort to promote human security and address armed violence. Some countries suffer from cluster munitions, some suffer more from other explosive remnants of war or other threats to the security of civilians. By joining the range of international instruments on the protection of civilians, states help to reinforce each other’s efforts to promote peace and security for all.

For states with no stockpiles, contamination or cluster munition survivors, joining the convention is a simple process, with which the Cluster Munition Coalition, International Committee of the Red Cross, and United Nations agencies stand ready to provide support. Once part of the convention, obligations for such states are minimal. They need to adopt a national implementation law, which may have already been done as part of the ratification or accession process, and afterwards provide short annual status reports.