From 18 to 20 November, the international community convened in San José, Costa Rica, for the Second International Conference of the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) to take stock of progress, advance implementation efforts, and broaden support for the declaration. Hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, the event brought together State representatives from ministries of defence and foreign affairs, members of armed forces, as well as international and civil society organizations.
Across the world, the use of explosive weapons in populated areas inflicts severe and enduring harm on people and communities, claiming countless lives and resulting in widespread destruction of livelihoods and infrastructure. Three years following the adoption of the declaration in Dublin in November 2022, the San José Conference provided a platform to promote global universalization and reaffirm States’ commitment to reducing civilian harm in increasingly urbanized armed conflicts.
Using data to reduce civilian harm
Drawing on its extensive research, UNIDIR participated in Session 3 of the conference on harm reduction and protection through data collection and sharing, alongside speakers from UNICEF, Airwars, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence, and the Explosive Weapons Monitor. UNIDIR’s Conventional Arms and Ammunition Programme presented insights from its recent report on the role of data in strengthening the protection of civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and advancing the implementation of the Political Declaration.
UNIDIR called for robust systems and processes to collect, analyse and use data to inform policies and practices to reduce civilian harm during military operations in populated areas. It also highlighted how data-driven approaches can help better understand and mitigate the severe, long-lasting reverberating effects of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, pointing to tools and methodologies that can support these efforts.
“Evidence of the devastating direct and reverberating effects of EWIPA use on civilians continues to grow, deepening our understanding of the nature, extent and foreseeability of these effects. At the same time, advances in technology have expanded the tools and methods available to anticipate and mitigate them in ways that were not possible maybe 20 or 30 years ago. And here the principle should hold: if these effects can be anticipated – if they are foreseeable – then they can be prevented or at least mitigated. But doing so requires acknowledging this as a priority – which should come with the endorsement of the declaration – and importantly, committing the necessary resources.”
– Barbara Morais, UNIDIR Researcher
For several years, UNIDIR has been working closely with States and a wide range of partners from international and civil society organizations to improve the understanding and documentation of these effects. Its activities help inform policies and practices to strengthen the protection of civilians in today’s increasingly complex and urbanized armed conflicts. This includes research and dialogue, as well as the development of tools to support the collection and sharing of data on the indirect or reverberating effects of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilian populations.
Looking ahead
The outcome statement of the San José Conference, issued by the Trio of EWIPA Champion States – Costa Rica, Ireland and Norway – includes a specific recommendation encouraging endorsing States to improve data collection and monitoring to document the indirect or reverberating effects and inform operational adjustments accordingly. It also calls on States to share examples of practical approaches and methodologies ahead of the next international Conference. UNIDIR stands ready to continue supporting States and other relevant stakeholders in these efforts.
This research is supported by the governments of Germany and Norway.