Civilian Sheltering Guidelines for Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas: A Scoping Review

The use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) has a disproportionate impact on civilians. Many humanitarian organizations utilize varying sheltering guidelines to recommend safe positions for civilians affected by explosive threats. It is not known whether these recommendations are standardized or derived from evidence. This study aimed to identify existing recommendations and potential gaps in literature relevant to sheltering guidelines for civilians during explosive events.

A scoping review was conducted of the literature including indexed databases and grey literature to identify reports that described sheltering guidelines for civilians during explosive events. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) methodology was followed.

The search identified 3582 peer-reviewed records. After title/abstract and full text screening, only 2 peer-reviewed reports remained eligible. These were combined with 13 gray literature reports obtained from humanitarian organizations and internet searches. The peer-reviewed reports included mine and unexploded ordnance guidelines, not guidelines for EWIPA or aerial bombardments. There is a substantial knowledge gap and heterogeneity in existing sheltering guidelines from explosive events, particularly those appropriate for protection from EWIPA.

Findings from this scoping review demonstrate a need for the creation and standardization of evidence-based civilian sheltering guidelines to mitigate the threat of explosive weapons to civilians in conflict.