Ireland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney speaking at the Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas Conference in Dublin Castle, Ireland, November 18, 2022. Photo Credit: Brian Lawless/PA Images via Getty Images, Video: Human Rights Watch

Society The World24. February 2023

Civilians to Get More Protection in Times of War

An international pledge signed by 82 countries seeks to better protect civilian populations from the use of explosive weapons.

The pledge – endorsed in Dublin at the end of 2022 after three years of negotiations – not only urges countries to better comply with the laws of war but also commits those who ratify it into adopting actual policies and practices that prevent harm to civilians.

Various human rights organizations have spent decades urging governments to recognize the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas. This pledge is the first of its kind to address the use of aircraft bombs, artillery, rockets, and missiles in villages, towns, and cities. These weapons are considered to be the leading cause of civilian casualties in armed conflict. So, it seems, governments have listened and are now looking for ways to give their people the protection they deserve.

Source:
Human Rights Watch

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