Today’s news is filled with devastating reminders that modern military conflict takes its heaviest toll on civilians. Women, children and other non-combatants are meant to be protected from the violence of combat under international law, but continue to suffer unspeakable harm in conflicts worldwide.  

Killed or wounded in high numbers, they fight to survive when housing, water and gas supplies, hospitals, sanitation and schools are damaged or destroyed.

War will always affect civilians to some degree. Instead of doing their best to protect civilians, political and military leaders choose to target towns, cities and other populated areas with a variety of explosive weapons. 

These choices go against international humanitarian law and show blatant disregard for life and limb of non-combatants and civilians.

When an army launches artillery, mortars, rockets or other explosive weapons into a populated area, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to limit the impact to a precise military target. The wave of force from hi-tech precision weapons can hurt people and damage buildings beyond the intended objective. 

In less-modern arsenals, weapons are even less accurate, so they damage or destroy nearby non-military buildings. Some militaries increase the risk of death or injury to non-combatants by deliberately using civilian buildings as cover for military bases. They also purposely target civilian residential housing or infrastructure as a means of terrorising and demoralising the enemy. 

Read in Daily Maverick: “Syria civilian death toll over 306,000 since 2011: UN”

The use of explosives in populated areas is the leading cause of death and injury to tens of thousands of civilians every year. This is well documented in a variety of contexts such as Gaza, Ethiopia, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen, to name a few recent examples. 

When explosive weapons are used in populated areas, 90% of the victims are civilians. Those not killed in the attack may suffer complex and life-changing injuries and experience long-term psychological distress from the traumatic experience of living under bombing.  

Beyond the risk of death and injury for civilians, the use of explosive weapons systems in populated areas destroys critical civilian infrastructure such as housing, hospitals and schools, as well as power, water and sanitation systems, essential services for people everywhere. The loss of housing and basic infrastructure, combined with the risk of leftover contamination from unexploded ordnance, means civilians often have no choice but to flee their homes, cities or countries. 

This humanitarian suffering must stop now. 

Finding a solution: nearly 60 states sign a new political declaration

As a result a group of concerned countries, international organisations and civil society have joined together to develop a solution. In June 2022, after three years of negotiations, states agreed on an international political declaration to promote stronger standards on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. 

States that sign the declaration commit to implement these standards via changes to national policy and practice. So far, 58 states have submitted note verbales to the government of Ireland, who has been convening the process. They include Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Holy See, Palestine, the UK and the US.

Visit Daily Maverick’s home page for more news, analysis and investigations

This week, on 18 November, the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas will be open for signature in Dublin, Ireland. 

Although the political declaration was negotiated outside the United Nations process it has been championed by the Irish government with the support of the UN secretary-general. 

By signing the declaration, the countries formally acknowledge that the use of bombs in towns and cities has severe humanitarian consequences for civilians which must be addressed. They commit to take action to avoid or to reduce harm to civilians in the years ahead, and to provide necessary and lifesaving help to victims of armed conflicts. 

Read in Daily Maverick: “Nearly 400 civilians killed in Afghanistan since Taliban takeover, UN says”

Until now South Africa has remained silent, reluctant to join this groundbreaking agreement. By endorsing the declaration, South Africa can and must speak up loudly and proudly for the greater protection of civilians in conflict and to help end the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. 

The political declaration won’t end violence in Ukraine, Syria or Yemen. But the more countries take this first step and join the declaration, the more leaders who speak out on the urgent need to respect the declaration’s principles, the faster the norm will take hold; just as it did in other campaigns, to successfully ban landmines and cluster munitions.

It is high time for all countries to join this movement to tell those who continue to bomb towns and cities – with wanton disregard for civilian lives – that such abuses will no longer be tolerated. DM/MC

The article is endorsed by the following Church Leaders: The Right Reverend Dr Steve Moreo: Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg; Cardinal Wilfrid Napier: former Catholic Archbishop of Durban; Presiding Bishop Purity Malinga: Methodist Church of Southern Africa.

Joseph Dube is a civil society advocate on small arms control and disarmament. He has worked for a number of civil society organisations such as Amnesty International, Gun Free South Africa, the International Action Network on Small Arms, and the Catholic Church in Johannesburg. He has attended numerous meetings on the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons and on the Arms Trade Treaty in Africa and at UN headquarters. 

Dube has played a leading role in the development of African civil society advocacy and policy promotion on arms control, disarmament and armed violence prevention. He coordinated several major civil society actions in Africa including the 2008 “Ship of Shame” campaign against a large Chinese weapons delivery for Zimbabwe.