The Netherlands was actively involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022. The Netherlands regularly delivered statements throughout the consultations towards a Political Declaration, 1 as well as raising concerns around explosive weapons in populated areas and expressing support for a Political Declaration in other multilateral forums.
Early in the consultation process, the Netherlands emphasised that the Declaration should recognise that existing International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides a sufficient framework to address the problem of explosive weapons in populated areas and should not ignore the threat posed by non-state and state actors who knowingly violate IHL. It also expressed support for better data collection as well as the sharing of information and good practices. The Netherlands also stressed the need for the Declaration to encourage states that have not yet done so to develop operational policies and procedures that will minimise the civilian harm in operations, and to contribute to enhancing transparency on the underlying causes of the civilian harm caused by operations in urban areas by supporting efforts on data collection. 2
These themes were repeated throughout the Netherlands’ statements to the consultations. At the second round of consultations in Geneva in February 2020, the Netherlands reiterated the call for a stronger focus on non-state actors and said that the Political Declaration must not weaken IHL by being selective in references or abbreviating or restating it. 3 Regarding data collection, it agreed the Declaration should encourage states to take “all practical measures” so as not to impose unreasonable or unrealistic burdens. It also supported the suggestion that, rather than trying to provide an exhaustive list of ways to disaggregate data, it would support a broader reference “disaggregating where appropriate”. 4 As consultations progressed, the Netherlands reiterated its belief that “existing International Humanitarian Law (IHL) provides the necessary framework to protect civilians during warfare in all contexts” and therefore “the Political Declaration should first and foremost address the implementation-deficit of existing IHL”. 5 It also reiterated its belief that lack of compliance with IHL is the primary cause of civilian casualties and harm to civilian infrastructure 6 and expressed strong support for the inclusion of reverberating effects in the Political Declaration, saying it should properly recognise the differing impacts of explosive weapons. 7
Statements and positions
The Netherlands attended the first international implementation conference on the Political Declaration in Oslo, Norway in April 2024, and the second implementation conference in San Jose, Costa Rica in November 2025.
In Oslo, the Netherlands spoke on the panel on ‘Military policies and practises’. It spoke about national efforts undertaken to reduce risk to civilians, including an ongoing baseline study on civilian harm mitigation, focusing on minimising and responding to harm and which is to inform a civilian harm mitigation policy. The Netherlands stated that mitigating civilian harm from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas was a part of this study, which draws on available literature and expert interviews and discusses doctrine, training, leadership, ammunition systems, and response system among other topics. Despite the baseline study not being concluded, the Netherlands shared some preliminary findings, highlighting the country’s track record on IHL compliance and education, in particular that an independent party reviews every case in which the Dutch Armed Forces uses force. The Netherlands stated that the military does not operate with terms such as civilian harm mitigation or explosive weapons in populated areas, but rather about IHL compliance and avoiding collateral damage. This, however, its study had found to be incorrect, as almost half of the civilian casualties reviewed were due to misidentification, which requires a different response to that of collateral damage, it said. It further found that in half of the cases of civilians harmed, explosive weapons had been used and accounted for more than 90 percent of the civilian deaths and injuries. The Netherlands stated that it has restrictions on the kind of weapons it uses, and does not use cluster munitions, anti-personnel mines or dumb bombs. It almost exclusively uses precision guided munitions or other munitions that have less wide area effects. The Netherlands also concluded that not using explosive weapons at all was the best solution but also spoke of kinetic (improved) targeting which could draw on more capabilities to reach less lethal effects. 8
The Netherlands has on several occasions spoken on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums, including at meetings of the UN General Assembly First Committee. Here, the Netherlands emphasised the need for concrete and practical measures to limit casualties and damage from explosive weapons in populated areas, stressing that much will depend on the exact circumstances and context in which weapons are used. 9 During the UN General Assembly First Committee in 2022, the Netherlands welcomed the conclusion of the Political Declaration and announced its intention to sign it. 10
As a member of the European Union (EU), the Netherlands has signed onto numerous joint statements condemning the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and the harms it causes to civilians and civilian objects, as well as calling for greater IHL compliance and welcoming the Political Declaration. This includes at several UN Security Council open debates on the protection of civilians in armed conflict 11, including in 2024 when it expressed deep concern about the use and humanitarian consequences of explosive weapons in populated areas ‘which has significant civilian impact and should thus be restricted and avoided’12 as well as at the 2022 UN Security Council open debate on war in cities where the EU expressed concern over the indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including near hospitals, schools, and universities 13 and at the UN General Assembly’s First Committee. 14 At the second implementation conference in San Jose, the EU emphasised the “profound and long-lasting direct and indirect consequences of EWIPA, which extend beyond immediate casualties to include the destruction of essential infrastructure (water, electricity, healthcare), environmental contamination, and the long-term presence of explosive remnants of war” and noted that “these effects hinder post-conflict reconstruction and the safe return of displaced persons”. The statement also flagged EU financial assistance to support mine action, including victim assistance, and to support research and advocacy focussed on addressing the key gaps in data collection and collaboration. 15
The Netherlands also aligned with the World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ as an EU member state in May 2016. This included the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.” 16
As a member of the Group of Friends on Protection of Civilians, the Netherlands has also supported statements at the UN Security Council stressing the importance of respecting IHL and the need to enhance the protection of civilians from the effects of explosive weapons in populated areas. At the 2024 UN Security Council debate on the protection of civilians, the Group highlighted the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas across ongoing conflicts and stressed that “the effective protection of civilians and civilian objects must be made a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of military operations.” 17 To that end, the Political Declaration was identified as providing “practical tools that ensure that protection is real and effective”, a sentiment the Group echoed at the 2025 debate where it flagged the Political Declaration as a tool that “plays a critical role in the protection of civilians” and encouraged states to consider endorsing. 18
At the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict on 23 May 2023 the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger, of which Netherlands is also a member, strongly welcomed the Political Declaration, called on other states to join it, and said that the Oslo Conference will provide a critical opportunity to make progress in implementing the Declaration. 19 At the 2025 open debate the Group said that “overly permissive interpretations of the rules of international humanitarian law are undermining their key objective, that is, the protection of civilians and civilian objects” and, referencing Gaza, decried the “immense civilian harm has been caused by Israel’s indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas and its obstruction of life-saving aid”. In closing, it urged states to “work for the universal endorsement and implementation of the Political Declaration”. 20
The Netherlands also endorsed the Ireland-led joint statement on explosive weapons in populated areas during the 74th UN General Assembly First Committee in October 2019. The statement, delivered by Ireland, encouraged states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue. 21
Implementation of the Political Declaration
In February 2024, INEW and EWM conducted a survey into endorser states' national efforts to disseminate and implement the Political Declaration; and in May 2025 EWM conducted a second survey. 22
Responding to the surveys, the Netherlands reported that it has distributed the Political Declaration to all stakeholders at the ‘corporate level’ across the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence. It has also designated focal points for overseeing efforts to implement the Declaration, these are the Policy Officer on Protection of Civilians within the Directorate of International Affairs, Directorate General Policy in the Ministry of Defence, a Legal Advisor on International Law at the Directorate of Legal Affairs at the MoD and a Policy Officer on Arms Control and Disarmament in the Security Policy Department of the Directorate-General for Political Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 23
The Netherlands stated that it had reviewed existing laws, policies, code, approaches, practices or similar relevant to the protection of civilians, to identify areas where further policy development is necessary to meet the Declaration’s commitments and avoid harm. It highlighted its baseline study on Civilian Harm and Mitigation. It highlighted Ministry of Defence’s Civilian Harm Mitigation (CHM) Baseline Study (part of broader efforts to improve civilian harm policies) and follow-up processes, which aim to embed tracking, transparency, and learning across the defence establishment. 24
The Netherlands has already begun institutionalising civilian harm tracking mechanisms, including a dedicated database that records weapon deployments, incidents, and post-strike assessments, and a public reporting mechanism and external portal allow communication and accountability. 25 The Netherlands has also undertaken a comprehensive review of its protection of civilians and civilian harm policies following incidents of civilian casualties in previous operations. A step by-step improvement plan has been established within the Ministry of Defence, supported by a specialised policy team, enhanced parliamentary reporting, and engagement with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and academia. 26
The Netherlands also explained that political declarations are implemented through MoD doctrine, education and training and in tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP) which are continuously updated. The Netherlands identified a number of basic and expert training and pre-deployment courses that might be relevant to the Declaration, including on civilian harm mitigation. The Netherlands reported that it incorporates multiple elements within its targeting cycle to strengthen civilian harm mitigation from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It also restricts its use of certain weapons by prohibiting cluster munitions, antipersonnel mines, and no longer uses unguided (“dumb”) aerial bombs. Where appropriate, it employs precision-guided munitions, including GPS-guided small diameter bombs and Excalibur rounds, to reduce wide-area effects and minimise civilian harm. The Netherlands conducts detailed post-strike assessments supported by a cross-domain database on weapon deployments, case reviews, and a formalised lessons-learned process. Notably, the government’s response to the Sorgdrager Committee’s investigation into the 2015 Hawija airstrike specifically recommends greater restraint in the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, integrating these findings into ongoing doctrinal and policy reform. 27
The Netherlands also highlighted its peer-to-peer engagement, particularly its co-leadership (with the United States) of the Civilian Harm Mitigation International Contact Group, which has become a forum for dialogue for several armed forces and includes some civil society organisations for parts of discussion. 28