Country: World Source: Cluster Munition Coalition Geneva, 1 August 2025 – Fifteen years after the Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force, the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) welcomes the life-saving impact of this landmark treaty and urges all states to reaffirm their commitment to its obligations, at a time when the norm against these weapons is under increasing pressure."Cluster munitions are banned under international law for good reason. Their legacy is one of death, displacement, and long-term devastation," said Tamar Gabelnick, Director of the Cluster Munition Coalition. "The world cannot afford to roll back the progress achieved by this historic treaty."Cluster munitions are inherently indiscriminate weapons that disperse dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions over a wide area. Many of these submunitions fail to explode on impact, leaving behind lethal remnants that continue to kill and injure civilians long after fighting has ceased. According to data from the Cluster Munition Monitor, children are especially vulnerable to these unexploded submunitions.Adopted in May 2008 and entered into force on 1 August 2010, the convention prohibits the use, production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions. It also obliges states to destroy their stockpiles, clear contaminated land, and provide assistance to victims.To date, the convention has 111 States Parties and 12 signatories, including three-quarters (23) of NATO's 32 member states and three-quarters (20) of the European Union's 27 member states. This broad support has yielded significant humanitarian results.The convention has contributed to a sharp reduction in casualties, rendered vast areas of land safe, and fostered greater recognition of the rights of survivors. It has also influenced the behaviour of states not party, including past users and producers, who now avoid cluster munitions due to the growing international stigma surrounding them.As of the end of 2024, States Parties have completed the destruction of their stocks, collectively destroying nearly 1.5 million cluster munitions and 179 million submunitions, representing 100% of all cluster munitions stockpiled by States Parties.Despite these achievements, the convention faces serious new challenges. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the use and political narrative around cluster munitions have shifted. In March 2025, Lithuania became the first country to formally withdraw from the Convention on Cluster Munitions, citing national security concerns in response to rising regional tensions. Meanwhile, Russian forces have used cluster munitions extensively in Ukraine, killing and injuring hundreds of civilians, damaging vital infrastructure, and contaminating farmland. Ukrainian forces have also used these weapons, resulting in additional civilian harm. Last week, a spokesperson for the Royal Thai Military confirmed that Thailand had used cluster munitions against Cambodia despite the decades of harm past use of cluster munitions have caused in the region.In light of these developments, the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) calls on all States Parties to publicly recommit to the convention, uphold their obligations under Article 1 not to assist, encourage, or engage in prohibited activities, and actively promote universalization as required under Article 21. These legal and moral responsibilities must not be set aside in the face of political pressure or geopolitical uncertainty."Fifteen years on, the Convention on Cluster Munitions remains one of the most effective instruments of humanitarian disarmament. Upholding its commitments is essential to protect civilian lives, reinforce international norms, and ensure that future generations are free from the scourge of these indiscriminate weapons," added Gabelnick.ENDBackgroundCluster munitions can be fired from the ground by artillery, rockets, missiles, and mortar projectiles, or dropped by aircraft. They typically open in the air, dispersing multiple submunitions or bomblets over a wide area. Many submunitions fail to explode on initial impact, leaving duds that can indiscriminately injure and kill like landmines for years, until they are cleared and destroyed. More information is available on this link.About the Coalition on Cluster MunitionThe Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) is a global civil society network operating in about 100 countries, working towards a world free of cluster munitions. Its primary goals are to promote universal adherence to the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions, change government policies, raise public awareness, and uphold the rights of cluster munition victims. The CMC advocates at national, regional, and international levels, bringing the perspectives of affected communities into diplomatic discussions. In 2011, it merged with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, forming ICBL-CMC, and is supported by research from the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.Media Contact:Media Team - International Campaign to Ban Landmines - Cluster Munition Coalition (ICBL-CMC)media@icblcmc.orgwww.icblcmc.org | www.the-monitor.org