Joint Civil Society Statement on Humanitarian Disarmament

Thank you.

I am pleased to deliver this joint statement on behalf of nearly 100 civil society campaigns and organizations.

Humanitarian disarmament has made a critical difference over the past three decades in saving countless lives around the world and in setting norms that endure over time. The people centered approach aims to prevent and remediate arms-inflicted human suffering and environmental harm, and it has shown its ability to weather geopolitical tempests.

Since last year’s First Committee meeting, humanitarian disarmament has faced attacks on multiple fronts that have challenged the progress it has made. The use of antipersonnel landmines and cluster munitions as well as threats of the use of nuclear weapons highlight the ongoing dangers posed by internationally banned weapons. Some states have decided to withdraw from the Mine Ban Treaty and Convention on Cluster Munitions, further endangering civilians due to the prospect of additional new use. The failure of states to comply with the Arms Trade Treaty and implement the commitments of the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas has meant civilians have not been protected in current armed conflicts. Progress on a treaty on autonomous weapons systems is not keeping pace with technological developments.

Nevertheless, while not a panacea, humanitarian disarmament has helped reduce the human cost of weapons for decades and will continue to do so. It has made a concrete difference in the protection of civilians by stigmatizing and decreasing use of certain weapons, reducing stockpiles, and advancing clearance and victim assistance measures. In the process, it has overcome hurdles, such as the post-9/11 world, changing governments, economic turmoil, and the evolving nature of war.

The central principles of humanitarian disarmament can both sustain this movement and ensure that it responds to today’s global challenges, including the growing disregard for the rule of law and financial shortfalls for the humanitarian sector. Those principles include:

1. A humanitarian focus: The goal of protecting civilians is a purpose that can transcend political and national differences.
2. A cooperative approach: States should meaningfully involve and work in partnership with each other, civil society, international organizations, and survivors in decision-making processes to benefit from their expertise and preserve the humanitarian focus.
3. A commitment to international law: International law, including humanitarian disarmament, creates obligations for states parties and standards that influence states and other actors outside of a treaty. States should not only create new law, but also implement, defend, and strengthen the law that already exists.
4. Ability to adapt: Humanitarian disarmament is adaptable, as shown by its move from conventional weapons to weapons of mass destruction and its application to new topics, such as the environment and armed conflict, the destruction of cultural heritage during conflict, and torture-free trade.

To maximize the influence of humanitarian disarmament and help it address current challenges, we urge states to:

• Ensure that the core characteristics of humanitarianism, cooperation, rule of law, and adaptability guide all efforts addressing disarmament issues;
• Highlight the humanitarian concerns raised by problematic weapons in the course of discussions at First Committee;
• Call, depending on the specific issue, for upholding the existing norms, improving implementation, and creating new or stronger law; and
• Join and fully implement and comply with humanitarian disarmament instruments.

States should act now to push back against the threats to international law and help humanitarian disarmament achieve its full potential. Doing so is in the interest of us all.

Thank you.

Supporting Campaigns

Control Arms

International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons

International Campaign to Ban Landmines-Cluster Munition Coalition

International Network on Explosive Weapons

Stop Killer Robots

Supporting Organizations

1. Action for Women and Children Concern (AWCC) SomaliaAction on Armed Violence
2. Action Pour le Developpement des Jeunes au Congo
3. African Council of Religious Leaders- Religions for Peace
4. Alianza por el Desarme Nuclear
5. Állítsuk meg a Gyilkos robotokat Kampány
6. Amnesty International
7. Amputee Self-help Network Uganda (ASNU)
8. Article 36
9. Aotearoa New Zealand Campaign on Military Spending
10. Aotearoa New Zealand Joint Working Group on Landmines and Cluster Munitions
11. Aotearoa New Zealand National WPS NGO Network
12. Arab Human Security Network
13. Associazione Nazionale Vittime Civili di Guerra
14. Azerbaijan Campaign to Ban Landmines
15. Belgian Coalition against Nuclear Weapons
16. Cadre de Concertation des Associations des Veuves au Burundi - CCAVB
17. Cameroon Youths and Students Forum for Peace (CAMYOSFOP)
18. Campaña Colombiana Contra Minas
19. Campagna Italiana contro le Mine
20. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
21. Centro de Estudios Ecuménicos - Promotora de Paz
22. Cercle des Jeunes pour une Société de Paix (CJSP)
23. Comisión General Justicia y Paz
24. Concerned Citizens for Nuclear Safety
25. Conflict and Environment Observatory
26. Danish Refugee Council
27. Deutsche Friedensgesellschaft – Vereinigte KriegsdienstgegnerInnen (DFG-VK)
28. Dhesarme - Brazilian Action for Humanitarian Disarmament
29. Disability Rights and Disarmament Initiative
30. Facing Finance
31. Femmes Unies pour la Paix dans la région des Grands Lacs (FUP-GL)
32. Friends Committee on National Legislation
33. HANAHR.net
34. Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic
35. Human Rights Watch
36. Hunter Peace Group
37. ICAN Aotearoa New Zealand
38. ICAN Australia
39. ICAN France
40. ICAN NorgeIndian Institute for Peace Disarmament & Environmental Protection
41. info.nodes
42. International Peace Research Association
43. International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW)
44. IPPNW Canada
45. Irish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
46. Japan Campaign to Ban Landmines
47. Jesuit Refugee Service
48. LABRATS
49. Legacies of War
50. Medical Association for Prevention of War (Australia)
51. Mines Action Canada
52. National Network on the Use of Explosive Weapons (Aotearoa New Zealand)
53. Naturefriends Greece
54. Nei til Atomvåpen
55. New York Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (NYCAN)
56. Nonviolence International
57. Nonviolence International Canada
58. Norwegian People’s Aid
59. Norwegian Physicians Against Nuclear Weapons
60. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its youth initiative, Reverse The Trend: Save Our People,
61. Pacific Network on Globalisation
62. Pathways To Peace
63. PAX
64. Pax Christi International
65. Pax Christi IRELAND
66. Pax Christi USA
67. Peace Boat
68. Peace Movement Aotearoa
69. PEACEMOMO
70. Peoples Federation for National Peace and Development (PEFENAP)
71. Perú por el Desarme
72. Project Ploughshares
73. Quit Nukes
74. Rete Italiana Pace Disarmo
75. RootsAction
76. SafeGround
77. Save Our Planet
78. SEHLAC
79. Soka Gakkai InternationalSomali Human Rights Association (SOHRA)
80. Stop Killer Robots Aotearoa New Zealand
81. The Civil Affairs Institute
82. United Nations Association - Sweden
83. United Nations Association - UK
84. Vision GRAM-International
85. West Virginia Campaign to Ban Landmines and Cluster Bombs
86. Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
87. World BEYOND War
88. World BEYOND War - Gambia Chapter
89. XR Peace, Hastings and St Leonards
90. Yemen Mine Awareness Association (YMAA)
91. Youth Arts New York
92. Youths Awaken Foundation (YAF)