From Landmines to Nuclear Weapons: Diplomacy in Advancing Disarmament Despite Setbacks December 18, 2024

From November 25th to 29th, PSR NWA Staffer Magritte Gordaneer attended the Fifth Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention on Anti-Personnel Landmines in Siem Reap, Cambodia. While at the meeting, Magritte met over 40 other young people representing causes for humanitarian disarmament including affected communities. The Review Conference came at a notably difficult time for the community, directly following the U.S. announcement to transfer AP Landmines to Ukraine. This announcement notably erodes norms of humanitarian disarmament, and places Ukraine in a position to violate their obligations as a state party to the Ottawa Convention. Magritte joined the International Campaign to Ban Landmines among others in voicing their disappointment in this decision. 

At a time of increasing fragmentation in the international community, wide-ranging issue support and attention is increasingly important. Norms of international law must be respected and conventions and treaties should be upheld without exception for the sake of our planet’s security and future. In recognizing the humanitarian impact of weapons — whether nuclear or conventional — health professionals can still play an essential role in these spaces advancing, and making abundantly clear, the human and health costs we all pay if these norms, treaties, and disarmament are not respected. 

The Ottawa Convention is a foundational text in humanitarian disarmament, paving the path for future treaties including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The erosion of norms, expectations, and state respect of these laws is cause for serious concern. Increased backsliding positions us as less secure than ever. Diplomatic fora are important in not only negotiating between states, but hearing the voices of civil society and survivors. Taking up space within these contexts allows the interjection of new perspectives, including health professionals and advocacy campaigners. The same lessons can be learned across humanitarian disarmament fields, increasing our capacity and raising our voices against backsliding for the sake of our planet and future.