Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs

On 5 November, Austcare joined dozens of organisations around the world in marking the Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs. Staff and volunteers took to Sydney's Pitt Street Mall to raise public awareness about the devastating effects of cluster bombs (or cluster munitions).

Cluster munitions kill and injure civilians by indiscriminately scattering explosives over a wide area. Additionally, many bomblets fail to explode on impact and continue to kill and injure civilians long after conflict ends.

There are cluster munitions on the ground in more than 20 countries. Billions more submunitions, or bomblets, lie in the arsenals of over 70 nations, as well as in the hands of non-state armed groups.

The Global Day of Action to Ban Cluster Bombs was a great success. Our Pitt campaigners had a fantastic day, receiving a great response from passers-by and distributing a great deal of information on these deadly weapons and their devastating humanitarian effects. We are now writing letters to local parliamentary members on behalf of the many people who signed our petition, to encourage the Australian Government to work with the international community to ban cluster munitions.

Please read more  about our campaign to ban cluster munitions.