The Cluster Munitions Coalition released its annual report on Monday detailing the use and transfer of these munitions alongside the policies and practices of countries and their implications on the international treaty banning cluster munitions.

The 2024 report’s primary focus is on developments and challenges concerning the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the international treaty prohibiting all use, production, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions.

A cluster munition is defined in the Convention on Cluster Munitions as “a conventional munition that is designed to disperse or release explosive submunitions each weighing less than 20 kilograms, and includes those explosive submunitions.” Many submunitions fail to explode, meaning they have the potential to injure and kill civilians for years after a conflict ends.

Primary findings of the report documented that “civilians accounted for 93% of all casualties recorded for 2023,” with children accounting for 47 percent of casualties killed and injured by cluster munitions. Civilians were disproportionately impacted by cluster munitions and their remnants, with casualties in Myanmar, Syria and Ukraine being the result of cluster munition attacks. According to the report, 28 countries “are contaminated or suspected to be contaminated by cluster munition remnants.” In 2023, new casualties due to cluster munitions remnants were recorded in Azerbaijan, Iraq, Laos, Lebanon, Mauritania and Yemen in addition to countries where attacks occurred.

The report details the use, transfer and stockpiling of cluster munitions in countries that are not party to the Convention. The use of cluster munitions in Ukraine by Russian and Ukrainian forces has been extensive. In addition to using stocks of old munitions, Russia has continued to develop and produce new cluster munitions since 2022. US President Joe Biden authorized five transfers of US cluster munitions between July 2023 and April 2024.

The Convention, in Article 1, prohibits the assistance or encouragement of anyone to engage in prohibited activities, a provision that is being “put to the test.” Documenting the conduct of member countries, the monitor notes that the US may still hold stockpiled cluster munitions at its military bases in several member countries. In July, HRW reported that Germany, despite having “publicly opposed the the transfer of banned cluster munitions” had facilitated the transfer of munitions to Ukraine as they had been stored at a US military base in Germany.

HRW has expressed its concern over Lithuania’s withdrawal from the Convention. HRW deputy crisis, conflict and arms director Mary Wareham stated “All countries should join and adhere to the convention if they are serious about protecting civilians from these weapons in the face of rising conflict.” Notably, member states have succeeded in collectively destroying 100 percent of their declared cluster munitions stocks. Altogether, 1.49 million cluster munitions and 179 million submunitions have been destroyed.

The Cluster Munition Coalition, an international civil society campaign co-founded by HRW, seeks to “eradicate cluster munitions and prevent further harm from these weapons.” The report’s release comes ahead of the 12th meeting of the Convention on Cluster Munitions to be held in Geneva from 10-13 September.