Convention on Cluster Munitions

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...