This June the humanitarian impact of explosive weapons and new research from INEW members will be discussed at two events in Geneva, including INEW’s side event at the Convention on Cluster Munitions and Mine Ban Treaty intercessional week on 26 June.

For more information about either of these events, please contact us.

The Palais des Nations in Geneva (Article 36)

ECOSOC Humanitarian Segment event: ‘Impact of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas’, hosted by Austria and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

19 June 2015, 08.15-9.45 Room XXIII, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

This event will focus on evidence about the impact of explosive weapons in populated areas, including long-term effects and damage to infrastructure. It will examine how the protection of civilians from this harm can be improved through changing policy and practice, and how dialogue amongst humanitarian actors on this issue can be enhanced. The panel, chaired by Ambassador Thomas Hajnoczi of Austria, will include Maya Brehm on behalf of Article 36, Anne Héry of Handicap International, and Hansjoerg Strohmeyer of OCHA.

INEW side event at the Convention on Cluster Munitions and Mine Ban Treaty intersessional week: ‘Protecting civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas’

26 June 2015, 13.15-14.30, World Meteorological Organisation building, Geneva, Switzerland

At this event chaired by Article 36, new research will be presented both on the impact of explosive weapons, and action that states should take towards improving the protection of civilians from the grave humanitarian harm caused.

Devastation in the Syrian city of Kobani (Handicap International)

Rob Perkins of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) will discuss the latest global humanitarian impact data from the Explosive Weapon Survey.

A representative of Handicap International (HI) will speak on HI’s documentation of the impact of explosive weapons in Syria, highlighted in two recent reports on the situation in Kobani and across Syria as a whole.

Christine Wille of Insecurity Insight will discuss the impact of the use of explosive weapons by conflict parties on the work of humanitarian agencies.

Anna Crowe of the Harvard International Human Rights Clinic will present a new report, jointly produced with Human Rights Watch, reviewing the options for achieving an international political commitment on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.