Blog posts

On 3 November 2025, the Leuven Peace Movement and KU Leuven will host an event on the devastating environmental and health consequences of war and military activities. The evening brings together international experts to address topics such as toxic contamination, the military’s role in the climate crisis, legal protection of the environment during conflict, and […]

The United States initiated a series of military operations in Fallujah beginning in April 2003, culminating in the Second Battle of Fallujah on December 23, 2004. According to Iraqi NGOs and medical workers, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 lives were lost during this period. The compensation commissioner of Fallujah reported that 36,000 of the city’s […]

My name is Dragoș Nicolae Ghiță. I am a retired Romanian non-commissioned officer (NCO), formerly serving in the Romanian Armed Forces. What follows is not just a personal story of illness, but a testimony of resistance, truth-seeking, and the struggle against institutional denial.   The First Alarm: A Heart Attack While Still in Uniform   […]

In a recent and most amazing judgment on 24 March 24 2025, the Basic Court in Pančevo, Serbia, ruled in favor of Karišik Zoran, a former soldier who developed lung cancer after alleged exposure to depleted uranium (DU) during the 1999 NATO bombing of the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslavia). Zoran was represented […]

Key Takeaway The use of depleted uranium (DU) weapons is illegal under international law, and a full ban is necessary. While no explicit international treaties prohibit DU weapons, they violate principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), Environmental Protection Law, and Human Rights Law.   Legal Considerations International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Indiscriminate Effects: DU weapons violate […]

The 1192nd hour of Genoa, dedicated to Paola Manduca We are saddened to hear of the passing away of Prof. Paola Manduca, biologist and geneticist. For many years she was part of the ICBUW advisory board. She was a talented researcher on the effects of wars on health and in particular on reproductive health, and […]

In line with the biannual cycle, the UN General Assembly, after discussion and decision in the First Committee, on December, 2, 2024, adopted Res. 79/49 on “Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium”. Earlier the year, the UN Secretary General has transmitted his report on the issue. Six countries have submitted […]

Read here our update on the situation in Ukraine  Read more … Short DU-Update on Ukraine – against the background of the killing of Gen. Kirillov

The United Nations commemorated the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict on November 6th, 2024. This day serves as a critical reminder of the need to protect the environment from the devastating impacts of war. It draws attention to the often-neglected ecological consequences of armed conflict and […]