New baseline study maps emerging military practice to implement the EWIPA Political Declaration
Article 36 and Airwars have published a new Baseline Study for the Second Military Workshop on the Implementation of the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA).
Prepared to support the Second Military Workshop on Implementation, hosted by Austria and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in Geneva, the study provides the first comprehensive overview of how endorsing states are beginning to translate the Declaration's commitments into military policy and practice.
The Political Declaration recognises the devastating humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and commits states to strengthening the protection of civilians through changes to military policy, planning, operations and learning. While many states have begun national implementation processes, there has until now been little consolidated analysis of how these commitments are being operationalised by armed forces.
Drawing on state reporting, military doctrine, policy documents, practitioner consultations and examples of emerging practice, the baseline study identifies current approaches, common challenges and practical opportunities for implementation. It also brings together key resources that can support military practitioners as they develop national policies and operational guidance.
The study identifies three operational areas that are emerging as central to effective implementation:
Understanding the civilian environment – strengthening analysis of civilian populations, infrastructure and essential services so these considerations are integrated into military planning and targeting.
Assessing the effects of explosive weapons – improving understanding of blast, fragmentation and reverberating effects to better inform operational decision-making and reduce civilian harm.
Civilian harm tracking – establishing systems to record, analyse and learn from civilian harm in order to improve future military operations and strengthen accountability.
Alongside these themes, the report highlights examples of emerging practice from endorsing states, examines cross-cutting issues such as doctrine, training and information systems, and identifies priorities for further discussion among military practitioners. It concludes that while important foundations have been laid, greater engagement from defence ministries and armed forces will be essential to translate political commitments into concrete operational change.
The baseline study is intended as a practical resource for states implementing the Declaration and as a contribution to ongoing international efforts to strengthen the protection of civilians from the humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Download the Baseline Study
The baseline study is intended as a practical resource for states implementing the Declaration and as a contribution to ongoing international efforts to strengthen the protection of civilians from the humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas.
Related resources
The baseline study forms part of a broader programme of work by Article 36 and partners to support implementation of the EWIPA Political Declaration. Readers may also be interested in:
Implementation Toolkit: Operationalising the Political Declaration on Civilian Harm from Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – a practical guide for governments and armed forces on translating the Declaration into military policy, doctrine, training and operational practice. Download the Implementation Toolkit
Avoiding Civilian Harm by Restricting or Refraining from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – an examination of how states can develop policies and operational guidance to reduce civilian harm by restricting or refraining from the use of explosive weapons where civilian harm is expected. Download the paper
Tracking Civilian Harm from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – a practical paper exploring how armed forces can establish civilian harm tracking systems that support operational learning, transparency and accountability. Download the paper