WILPF: Women and Cluster Munitions

From the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom:

Victim assistance is frequently referred to as the cornerstone of a future instrument on cluster munitions. In order to adequately address the inhumane suffering caused by the use of these weapons, care for their innocent victims must be the focus of an international treaty. There is a general understanding among states participating in the Oslo Process that ‘victim’ is a multifaceted term, much larger than the individual, encompassing the victim’s family and larger community.

Implicit in the consideration of the term ‘victim’ is also the consideration of gender and age. Men, women, girls, and boys are affected differently by the threat posed by the presence of cluster munitions in their communities. Gender influences the role an individual plays in their community; in their social and economic activities and their likelihood of becoming a cluster munitions victim or their ability to access medical attention or risk education and awareness.

The report can be downloaded from Reliefweb.