Explosive Weapons Monitor 2023
In towns and cities across the world in 2023, civilians experienced an unprecedented level of harm from the use of explosive weapons.
Civilian casualties - as recorded by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV) and the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) - and impeded access to healthcare, education and humanitarian aid - as recorded by Insecurity Insight - increased most drastically in Palestine, as well as other countries marked by the use of explosive weapons in conflict, such as Sudan, Myanmar and Syria. Civilian harm also continued in other contexts, including Ukraine, Ethiopia and Yemen.
This report takes stock of harm to civilians from the use of explosive weapons across the globe in 2023 and identifies the state and non-state actors reportedly responsible for this use. It also reports on actions taken by states towards addressing this harm to civilians through the universalization and implementation of the Political Declaration. As harm to civilians from the use of explosive weapons continues to cause widespread devastation and suffering to civilians, it remains a critical humanitarian priority to bring the Declaration into effect to prevent and reduce harm to civilians.