Calling All Youth Changemakers! We Want to Hear Your Voice!

 

Youth Multimedia Contest

Youth for Humanitarian Disarmament:

Advancing the goals of the Convention on Cluster Munitions

5 March 2024 –  1 July 2024  (updated deadline)

 

What is the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)?

The 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions is a legally binding treaty under which States Parties agree to never, under any circumstances, use, develop, or produce, cluster munitions. The Convention provides a framework for cooperation and assistance to ensure adequate provision of care and rehabilitation to survivors and their communities, clearance of contaminated areas, education on the risks posed by cluster munitions, and destruction of stockpiles of the prohibited weapon. 

Why A Youth Contest?

As indiscriminate weapons that impact communities for generations, cluster munitions overwhelmingly affect youth. In fact, children make up the majority of all those impacted by the weapon. Cluster munitions hinder development, rob communities of livelihoods and limit life opportunities for young people. Youth voices are essential then to eliminating this banned weapon.

In this spirit, the contest responds to the call by the Secretary General in the New Agenda for Peace to enact measures for the effective and meaningful participation of youth in the field of disarmament.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted in 2008 following international and inclusive advocacy under the Oslo Process. Dialogue included States, civil society organizations, survivors, and other stakeholders, and was rooted in a shared commitment to humanitarian disarmament (read more below). Its focus was and is, to end the deadly and longstanding threat from the use of cluster munitions, recognizing the indiscriminate nature of the weapon and its inhumane consequences.

As part of the core group of countries that promoted adoption of the Convention on Cluster Munitions by the international community, Mexico is pleased to host the Presidency of the 12th Meeting of States Parties this year. The contest is jointly supported by the Mexican Presidency and the European Union and reflects a longstanding commitment to disarmament education and to strengthening the norms of humanitarian disarmament.

Together with the European Union, the Mexican Presidency invites young people, aged 18-29, to share your thinking, insights, and perspectives on the how the unacceptable harm caused by cluster munitions impacts lives and specifically:

Contestants are invited to share multimedia submissions on one or all  of these themes and what they mean to you and to your community. We want to hear your best thinking on igniting CHANGE, and how this can happen. We encourage deep dives into the connections between cluster munitions, education as a life-saving tool, humanitarian disarmament, and the Sustainable Development Goals. We want to hear how young people are helping to create solutions!

Submissions will be judged on creativity and originality; relevance to the topic; clarity and coherence; and adherence to UN values (read more).

A panel of judges will select one winner who will be invited to present their submission in-person at the 12th Meeting of States Parties (12MSP), taking place in Geneva, from 10 to 13 September, 2024 at the United Nations Palais des Nations. Additionally selected submissions of note will be exhibited as well at the Palais during the 12MSP.

Submissions can be sent in any UN official language. Entrants are encouraged to send their submission in their native language and should provide a courtesy translation in English.

 

Join Us!

Whether you are a poet with words that move mountains, a photographer with a knack for capturing truth in every frame, an animator with a vision to change hearts and minds, or a writer with the power to weave worlds and ignite change with a mighty pen – THIS is your moment! Your voice matters.

All submissions must be sent before or by 1 July 2024 (updated deadline), to the following email address:  cjovenescmr12@sre.gob.mx

 

 

Further resources

 

1) Cluster Munition Risk Education:

“Explosive ordnance risk education (EORE) activities seek to reduce the risk of injury from explosive ordnance (EO) by raising awareness of the risks and promoting behavioural change among women, girls, boys, and men in affected communities [1]”. Imagine you’re playing a game with your friends, and you come across something that looks like a toy, yet it turns out to be a dangerous object. Risk education regarding cluster munitions is about being thought about dangers and learning how to recognize and avoid these explosive remnants of war to stay safe. Risk education teaches about the dangers of cluster munitions so that people can protect themselves and their communities from harm.

 

2) Humanitarian Disarmament and Cluster Munitions

Humanitarian disarmament seeks to prevent and remediate arms-inflicted human suffering and environmental harm through the establishment and implementation of norms. This approach to disarmament is people-centered in substance and process. Humanitarian disarmament standards have often been adopted in international treaties. They can also be promulgated through other means, such as political commitments or domestic legislation [2]. It emphasizes the humanitarian consequences of weapons that are inhumane and indiscriminate by nature, such as cluster munitions. The Convention on Cluster Munitions is a humanitarian convention.

 

3) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Cluster Munitions:

Cluster munitions pose significant challenges to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) due to their humanitarian impact and long-lasting effects on communities. Here’s how they intersect with some of the SDGs:

 

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: Cluster munitions cause severe injuries and fatalities, leading to long-term health issues and disabilities among survivors. Addressing the harm caused by cluster munitions is crucial for achieving this goal by ensuring access to healthcare services and rehabilitation for affected individuals.

 

SDG 5: Gender Equality: Persons of different gender identities and expressions may be impacted differently by cluster munition remnant contamination. Because of social and economic roles, men and boys are much more likely to be killed or injured in cluster munition remnant accidents. Women and girls are more often indirect victims. Because of predominant gender norms, they are often expected to take on a caregiving role for survivors and provide financial support for their families when the main provider is injured or killed [3].By integrating a gender perspective into disarmament efforts and humanitarian responses, we can better address the gender-specific impacts of cluster munitions and advance the goals of gender equality and women’s empowerment outlined in SDG 5.

 

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: Cluster munitions contaminate land and pose significant risks to civilian populations, hindering efforts to create safe and sustainable urban environments. Clearing affected areas of explosive remnants of war is essential for ensuring the safety and well-being of communities and promoting sustainable development.

 

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Cluster munitions contribute to instability and undermine efforts to build peaceful and inclusive societies. Eliminating these weapons and promoting disarmament initiatives are essential for achieving sustainable peace, reducing violence, and strengthening institutions. Addressing the humanitarian and environmental consequences of cluster munitions aligns with the overarching goals of sustainable development by promoting peace, protecting human rights, and building resilient communities free from the threat of explosive remnants of war.

 

[1] https://www.gichd.org/our-response/explosive-ordnance-risk-education/

[2] https://humanitariandisarmament.org/about/#:~:text=Humanitarian%20disarmament%20seeks%20to%20prevent,centered%20in%20substance%20and%20process

[3] https://www.gichd.org/fileadmin/uploads/gichd/Publications/GICHD-DIG_Factsheet_CCM_updated.pdf