Cluster Munitions (2010, No. 8) (Open)

The 30th GWI Conference resolves:

GWI and its National Federations and Associations (NFAs) urge their respective governments to ratify and take concrete action to implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions (Dublin Convention).

Suggested National Action

• Urge your government to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008).
• Urge your government to implement the agreements of this Convention, including stopping the manufacture and use of cluster munitions, destroying any stockpiles of such weapons, and providing programmes to rehabilitate survivors and those affected by these weapons.
• Educate your members and encourage the implementation of this Convention as part of an overall strategy in seeking peaceful societies, free of such destructive weapons and respectful of human rights.

GWI and NFA Action reported

• The Australian Federation of Graduate Women (AFWG) congratulates its Government as the signing of the Treaty to ban the use of Cluster Bombs on behalf of Australia is leading to its ratification March 2011Action taken in support of GWI Policy Resolution 2010, No. 08AFWG has written to its Minister of Defense to express its pleasure to see that the Government is now proceeding towards ratification of the Treaty to ban the use of Cluster Bombs on behalf of Australia by bringing forward legislation to bring Australia into line with the provisions of the Convention. In October 2010, AFWG wrote to congratulate its Minister of Defence on the Government’s decision to sign the Treaty. AFWG has been delighted to report this to GWI but is concerned that Australia might be implicated in the use of these weapons in joint actions with other countries who have not signed the Treaty, like the US. AFWG also took the opportunity to enquire on measures taken by its government to provide assistance to Iraqi civilians already injured and incapacitated by earlier use of these bombs, especially given that many of the casualties were and often are children. – Official Letter March 2011 – Official Letter October 2010

• The New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women (NZFGW) congratulates New Zealand Government for its commitment of NZD 1 million for clearance of cluster bomb remnants in Lao-PDR February 2011Action taken in support of GWI Policy Resolution 2010, No. 08In February 2011, the CIR of the New Zealand Federation wrote a letter to the Minister for Disarmament and Arms Control congratulating the Government for being one of the 51 States to have ratified the UN Convention on Cluster Munititions and for having committed NZD 1 million for the clearance of cluster bomb remnants in Lao-PDR. – Official Letter: Munitions