Attachments
GUIDELINES TO PROMOTE RISK AWARENESS AND SAFER BEHAVIOUR WITH REGARD TO CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR HAZARDS, FOR USE BY THE COMPONENTS OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT
FOREWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
These guidelines are designed to be used by the ICRC, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (National Societies). They are relevant in a wide range of situations worldwide, in periods of armed conflict as well as times of peace, and in any country that is affected by conventional weapons and/or chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) hazards. While they are written in general terms so as to apply to all situations involving weapon contamination, they are nevertheless based firmly on the principle that all interventions should be tailored to the specific context following a thorough assessment.
These guidelines are based on a risk-management approach. They aim to help the components of the Movement to fulfil their obligations under the Movement Strategy on Landmines, Cluster Munitions and other Explosive Remnants of War1 while at the same time fostering the development of an intra-Movement approach to dealing with issues related to weapon contamination.2 They were written in accordance with existing frameworks from the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including the ICRC’s response to weapon contamination,3 and the International Mine Action Standards. These guidelines should not be implemented without taking into account the specific national context so that the guidelines complement or supplement – rather than conflict with – national legislation, standards and guidelines.
The guidelines were prepared for the ICRC by Belinda Goslin, Igor Ramazzotti and Maryam Walton. The ICRC also gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the Working Group on Weapon Contamination, which operates within the Disaster Management Advisory Group (DMAG) for the Middle East and North Africa;4 the Working Group consists of Ahmed Mizab (chair), Maged Alotaibi, Mutlaq Al Hadid and Omer Bodbos, along with the Norwegian Red Cross. Finally, the ICRC wishes to thank all ICRC colleagues, both in the WeC Unit and other units, who contributed to the discussion and helped develop these guidelines.