HUMANITY AMIDST CONFLICTS 56 Group IV LIMITATIONS ON THE CONDUCT OF WARFARE Rapporteur: Mr. Nikki Delfin, PhilANSA This group is composedof representativesfrom the Forces Agreement (VFA). They said that they following: the Philippine Coalition for have identified the VFA as a possible presence International Criminal Court, Philippine Action of nuclear capabilities. As noted by them,at Against Small Arms, Peace Institute, Gazton present, there are only nine countries that Ortigas Peace Institute, the Center for Peace openly declare that they have nuclear Education of Mirriam College, Sulong CAHRIHL, capabilities. But there might be threats oi Generation for Peace. nuclear presence even in the Philippines and without us knowing it. Challenges and Gaps Presentedare the identified challenges and gaps: Weak Implementation of International Treaties NoInternational ArmsTreaty The Philippines has a weak implementation of Thereis no international treaty yet on armstrading international treaties such as the Convention on and small arms proliferation. The group the Rights of the Child (CRC), Convention on the recommended that Civil Society must campaign Elimination of Discrimination Against Women for arms trading treaty and at the same time (CEDAW), Economic, Civil and Cultural and strengthen the local gun laws; strengthened Cultural Rights (ESCR), etc. It has been noted mechanisms that the Philippines is second in Asia in the on gun control with recommendations and policy to support the numberof signed treaties, next to Cambodia. drafting andratification of the armstreaty. Non-ratification of importantstatutes No International Law Prohibiting and treaties Nuclear Weapons They also identified the problem of non- There is no international law that prohibits the ratification of important statutes andtreaties. development of nuclear weapons. What the They recommended to conduct an awareness government haveare treaties such as the non- raising and education on thetreaties which are proliferation treaty and the comprehensive test signed by the Philippines. It shouldalsoinstall a gun treaty, but this would not prevent countries monitoring system on the implementation of these from developing and producing them. treaties. This was highly reeommended because according to them, mostof the timeit is in the The group’s recommendationsare: monitoring a) To create a movement against development of implementation of these treaties where problem nuclear weapons as well as prevent or object lies. They commentedthat the government would States that would engagewith nuclear capacities. love to sign treaties even without having the b) As to the recommendation on policy, there capacity to implement them. There is no proper should be transparency regardingthe Visiting mechanism. In some cases wherethere are such mechanism and actual