Convention on Cluster Munitions

international treaty
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

Quick Facts
Date:
April 30, 2008

Convention on Cluster Munitions, international treaty, adopted by more than 100 countries on May 30, 2008, that prohibited the manufacture, transfer, and use of cluster munitions. It entered into force on Aug. 1, 2010. Cluster munitions are characterized as bombs or shells that consist of an outer casing that houses dozens, or even hundreds, of smaller submunitions. These submunitions—which can include bomblets (antimateriel weapons that utilize small parachutes to aid in guidance), grenades (antipersonnel weapons that detonate on or shortly after impact), or mines (area denial weapons that detonate in response to pressure or in the presence of a metal ...(100 of 479 words)