INEW ~ SIDE EVENT: Poc Week on protecting civilians from explosive weapons in populated areas

For the fifteenth consecutive year, the 2023 UN Secretary-General’s report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict will highlight the ongoing protection challenges that civilians face when explosive weapons are used in populated areas. This year the report will additionally welcome the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, which was endorsed by 83 states in Dublin, Ireland in November 2022.

During the Protection of Civilians’ (PoC) week, a focussed discussion will be convened on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) and the recently agreed declaration, including its significance and purpose, and actions that will be required by states to implement the declaration with the goal of better protecting civilians in armed conflict and strengthening compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL). Events on this theme have been undertaken over the past several years in PoC week, and this year provides a particular opportunity to highlight the declaration and convene a discussion on the work that is needed to operationalise the declaration’s commitments to drive forward changes in policy and practice.

Speakers include:

Ambassador Alexander Marschik (moderator), Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations
Ms Izumi Nakamitsu, High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs
Ms Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross
Ambassador Fergal Mythen, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations
Ambassador Mona Juul, Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations
Ms Laura Boillot, Coordinator for the International Network on Explosive Weapons

This EWIPA event will take place on Wednesday 24 May, from 10.15-11.45, as one of the main side events in the protection of civilians’ week from 22-26 May 2023. The meeting will be in CR-6 in the UN building, New York. Registration is not required, but all participants will need passes to gain access to the UN building.