Key Developments in Humanitarian Disarmament: Familiar Setbacks, Fresh Responses

Victoria Yusupov, Armed Conflict and Civilian Protection Initiative

Over the past several months, humanitarian disarmament has seen some familiar setbacks as well as the introduction of fresh topics and tools. Nuclear armed states continued to resist disarmament commitments and they increased spending on their arsenals, while threats of cluster munition procurement and proliferation arose. At the same time, the landmine and nuclear weapons ban treaties gained new parties, states held their first meeting dedicated to the humanitarian implications of AI in the military domain, and civil society launched tools and trainings to advance humanitarian disarmament efforts.

In case you missed it:

• On May 1, Lebanon, which is heavily contaminated with antipersonnel landmines, acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty.
• The 11th Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) met at UN headquarters in New York from April 27-May 22. A majority of states highlighted the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, but nuclear armed states and their allies challenged their assessment of the harm as well as the norm against nuclear testing, even though these points had been recognized in past NPT documents. States also grappled with ongoing nonproliferation challenges involving North Korea and Iran. The conference ultimately concluded without a final document or concrete plan for disarmament. For a more detailed report of the review conference, see coverage from Reaching Critical Will.
• On May 21, the Conflict and Environment Observatory (CEOBS) launched the Wartime Incidents to Environment (WISEN) database, a methodology and database for systematically documenting and mapping environmental harm caused by armed conflict.
• Also in May, the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School released a 20-page guide entitled Advancing Humanitarian Disarmament: Strategies for Campaigning in Challenging Times. The guide identifies humanitarian, legal, political, and practical challenges facing campaigners today. It then presents strategies involving messaging, partnerships, and targets, tactics, and tools to help campaigners respond to recent developments while promoting their cause.
• On June 1, CEOBS released tools and training materials to help mine action organizations comply with International Mine Action Standard (IMAS) 07.13 on Environmental Management and Climate Change.
• On June 8, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) released new research on 2025 global nuclear weapons spending. The research found that the nine nuclear armed states spent almost $119 billion on their arsenals, a 19 percent increase from 2024.
• From June 15-June 17, states met at the UN in Geneva under a mandate from the UN General Assembly for informal exchanges on an international response to artificial intelligence (AI) in the military domain. The Stop Killer Robots campaign called on states to “start taking immediate measures and agree to concrete international rules” to prevent the risks and harms posed by the use of AI and automation in the use of military force.
• From June 15-June 18, state parties to the Mine Ban Treaty met in Geneva for the 2026 Intersessional Meetings to assess progress and challenges in implementing the treaty.
• On June 16, the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor released preliminary 2025 data showing that landmines and explosive remnants of war killed or injured more than 5,000 people in 2025, with Syria recording the highest number of casualties.
• On June 17, Finland voted to repeal a 1987 law banning nuclear weapons from the country. At the same time, a new poll revealed that the majority of the Finnish public continues to oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons within the country.
• On July 7, the Kingdom of Tonga became the 75th state party to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The treaty also has 25 signatories.
• On July 8, Mina Nur Basmaci and John Ramming Chappell of the Center for Civilians in Conflict expressed concern over renewed US procurement of cluster munitions after nearly two decades of restraint. This development follows the US Department of Defense’s September 2025 award of a contract worth up to $829.1 million to an Israeli state-owned company to manufacture and produce XM1208 cluster munitions.
• On August 11, Human Rights Watch reported that Türkiye has sought US approval to send tens of thousands of cluster munitions to Ukraine. Türkiye needs approval because those munitions, which contain more than 10 million of submunitions,  “were originally produced in part by Türkiye under licenses from the US initiated in 1987.”
• The 12th Conference of States Parties to the Arms Trade Treaty convened in Geneva from August 24-28. On the first day of the conference, Control Arms released its 2026 ATT Monitor, which includes a chapter examining the synergies between the Arms Trade Treaty and the Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.

As this period closes, the Convention on Cluster Munitions approaches its Third Review Conference in September. Ahead of the conference, the Cluster Munition Coalition calls on all states to ratify or accede to the Convention, uphold the ban, and intensify efforts to encourage states not party to join.

This post expresses the views of author and does not purport to represent the views of the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School or Harvard University.