Global action that can protect children and other civilians caught up in urban warfare
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Version 0 of 1. Laura Boillot, coordinator at the International Network on Explosive Weapons, calls on more countries to sign up to a declaration which aims to better protect civilians against bombing and shelling in populated areas It is unconscionable that Gaza is becoming a “graveyard for children”, to quote the UN secretary general. As we hear reports of their deaths and witness the anguish of those who have survived, we must also ask ourselves what kind of future these children face. The Israeli forces’ relentless bombing and shelling of the Gaza Strip, one of the most densely populated areas in the world, has destroyed homes, schools and hospitals. As the death toll rises sharply each day, civilians have nowhere to go to escape the bombing. The airstrikes have made Gaza unlivable, and the needs and suffering of people are immense. The damage inflicted will last long after the bombardment has ended. Rockets intended to cause harm and sow fear are also being fired at civilian areas in Israel. While the situation in Palestine and Israel is horrific, explosive weapons continue to be used in urban warfare in Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere, with a similarly devastating and foreseeable impact on civilians. The only way out of this spiral of suffering is for action at a global level. A year ago, 83 states endorsed the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, which commits governments and militaries to adopt policies and rules of engagement that better protect civilians from this pattern of harm, and work to develop new norms and standards against bombing and shelling in populated areas. Saturday 18 November marks the first anniversary of this landmark agreement. We urge more countries to sign up to the declaration and show solidarity with the women, children and men living under bombardment, fearing for their lives.Laura BoillotDirector, Article 36; coordinator, International Network on Explosive Weapons Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section. |