This preliminary report by Handicap International is the first to document the impact of cluster munitions on the lives of people in all 24 countries and regions which are known to be affected by these weapons.

Cluster bombs, weapons that release several hundred smaller 'bomblets' when fired, pose an unacceptable danger to civilians both during and long after a conflict. These 'bomblets' often fail to explode as they are spread over an area at least the size of several football pitches, creating a highly lethal 'footprint'.

"They affect many more civilians than military personnel - young people going about their normal daily affairs and trying to make a living, families returning to their homes after a conflict, children just playing, as well as peacekeepers and those clearing failed submunitions to make communities safe," says Samantha Rennie, Director of Handicap International UK.

The report provides unprecedented facts and figures such as the number of affected countries, the number of casualties and their location.