[fusion_builder_container type=”flex” hundred_percent=”no” hundred_percent_height=”no” min_height_medium=”” min_height_small=”” min_height=”” hundred_percent_height_scroll=”no” align_content=”stretch” flex_align_items=”flex-start” flex_justify_content=”flex-start” flex_wrap_medium=”” flex_wrap_small=”” flex_wrap=”wrap” flex_column_spacing=”” hundred_percent_height_center_content=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” container_tag=”div” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” status=”published” publish_date=”” class=”” id=”” spacing_medium=”” margin_top_medium=”” margin_bottom_medium=”” spacing_small=”” margin_top_small=”” margin_bottom_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_dimensions_medium=”” padding_top_medium=”” padding_right_medium=”” padding_bottom_medium=”” padding_left_medium=”” padding_dimensions_small=”” padding_top_small=”” padding_right_small=”” padding_bottom_small=”” padding_left_small=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” link_hover_color=”” link_color=”” border_sizes=”” border_sizes_top=”” border_sizes_right=”” border_sizes_bottom=”” border_sizes_left=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_radius_top_left=”” border_radius_top_right=”” border_radius_bottom_right=”” border_radius_bottom_left=”” box_shadow=”no” box_shadow_vertical=”” box_shadow_horizontal=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” z_index=”” overflow=”” background_color_medium=”” background_color_small=”” background_color=”” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_image_medium=”” background_image_small=”” background_image=”” skip_lazy_load=”” background_position_medium=”” background_position_small=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat_medium=”” background_repeat_small=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_size_medium=”” background_size_small=”” background_size=”” background_custom_size=”” background_custom_size_medium=”” background_custom_size_small=”” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_blend_mode_medium=”” background_blend_mode_small=”” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_images=”” background_slider_position=”” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ background_slider_blend_mode=”” video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” video_preview_image=”” pattern_bg=”none” pattern_custom_bg=”” pattern_bg_color=”” pattern_bg_style=”default” pattern_bg_opacity=”100″ pattern_bg_size=”” pattern_bg_blend_mode=”normal” mask_bg=”none” mask_custom_bg=”” mask_bg_color=”” mask_bg_accent_color=”” mask_bg_style=”default” mask_bg_opacity=”100″ mask_bg_transform=”left” mask_bg_blend_mode=”normal” render_logics=”” logics=”” absolute=”off” absolute_devices=”small,medium,large” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_background_color=”” sticky_height=”” sticky_offset=”” sticky_transition_offset=”0″ scroll_offset=”0″ animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ align_self=”auto” content_layout=”column” align_content=”flex-start” valign_content=”flex-start” content_wrap=”wrap” spacing=”” center_content=”no” column_tag=”div” link=”” target=”_self” link_description=”” min_height=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” type_medium=”” type_small=”” flex_grow_medium=”” flex_grow_small=”” flex_grow=”” flex_shrink_medium=”” flex_shrink_small=”” flex_shrink=”” order_medium=”0″ order_small=”0″ dimension_spacing_medium=”” dimension_spacing_small=”” dimension_spacing=”” dimension_margin_medium=”” dimension_margin_small=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” padding_medium=”” padding_small=”” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” hover_type=”none” border_sizes=”” border_color_hover=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_radius=”” box_shadow=”no” dimension_box_shadow=”” box_shadow_blur=”0″ box_shadow_spread=”0″ box_shadow_color=”” box_shadow_style=”” z_index_hover=”” z_index=”” overflow=”” background_type=”single” background_color_medium=”” background_color_small=”” background_color_medium_hover=”” background_color_small_hover=”” background_color_hover=”” background_color=”” gradient_start_color=”” gradient_end_color=”” gradient_start_position=”0″ gradient_end_position=”100″ gradient_type=”linear” radial_direction=”center center” linear_angle=”180″ background_image_medium=”” background_image_small=”” background_image=”” background_image_id_medium=”” background_image_id_small=”” background_image_id=”” lazy_load=”none” skip_lazy_load=”” background_position_medium=”” background_position_small=”” background_position=”left top” background_repeat_medium=”” background_repeat_small=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_size_medium=”” background_size_small=”” background_size=”” background_custom_size=”” background_custom_size_medium=”” background_custom_size_small=”” background_blend_mode_medium=”” background_blend_mode_small=”” background_blend_mode=”none” background_slider_images=”” background_slider_position=”” background_slider_skip_lazy_loading=”no” background_slider_loop=”yes” background_slider_pause_on_hover=”no” background_slider_slideshow_speed=”5000″ background_slider_animation=”fade” background_slider_direction=”up” background_slider_animation_speed=”800″ background_slider_blend_mode=”” render_logics=”” sticky=”off” sticky_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_offset=”” absolute=”off” absolute_props=”” filter_type=”regular” filter_hover_element=”self” filter_hue=”0″ filter_saturation=”100″ filter_brightness=”100″ filter_contrast=”100″ filter_invert=”0″ filter_sepia=”0″ filter_opacity=”100″ filter_blur=”0″ filter_hue_hover=”0″ filter_saturation_hover=”100″ filter_brightness_hover=”100″ filter_contrast_hover=”100″ filter_invert_hover=”0″ filter_sepia_hover=”0″ filter_opacity_hover=”100″ filter_blur_hover=”0″ transform_type=”regular” transform_hover_element=”self” transform_scale_x=”1″ transform_scale_y=”1″ transform_translate_x=”0″ transform_translate_y=”0″ transform_rotate=”0″ transform_skew_x=”0″ transform_skew_y=”0″ transform_scale_x_hover=”1″ transform_scale_y_hover=”1″ transform_translate_x_hover=”0″ transform_translate_y_hover=”0″ transform_rotate_hover=”0″ transform_skew_x_hover=”0″ transform_skew_y_hover=”0″ transform_origin=”” transition_duration=”300″ transition_easing=”ease” transition_custom_easing=”” motion_effects=”” scroll_motion_devices=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” last=”true” border_position=”all” first=”true”][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” user_select=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” logics=””]
On April 30, 2025, Douaa Ahmed and Mohammed Alkurashi delivered a statement on behalf of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its youth initiative, Reverse the Trend, during the NGO session of the Non-Proliferation Treaty Preparatory Committee (NPT PrepCom) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
[/fusion_text][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” user_select=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” margin_top=”” margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” logics=””]
Statement to the 11th Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference
Preparatory Committee
[/fusion_text][fusion_youtube id=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzoPDjCu0no” alignment=”center” width=”1920″ height=”1080″ start_time=”” end_time=”” autoplay=”false” mute=”false” loop=”false” controls=”true” api_params=”” title_attribute=”” video_facade=”” thumbnail_size=”auto” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” css_id=”” structured_data=”off” video_upload_date=”” video_duration=”” video_title=”” video_desc=”” /][fusion_text columns=”” column_min_width=”” column_spacing=”” rule_style=”” rule_size=”” rule_color=”” hue=”” saturation=”” lightness=”” alpha=”” user_select=”” content_alignment_medium=”” content_alignment_small=”” content_alignment=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” sticky_display=”normal,sticky” class=”” id=”” margin_top=”20″ margin_right=”” margin_bottom=”” margin_left=”” fusion_font_family_text_font=”” fusion_font_variant_text_font=”” font_size=”” line_height=”” letter_spacing=”” text_transform=”” text_color=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”left” animation_color=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_delay=”0″ animation_offset=”” logics=””]Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
As we approach the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, we recall the testimonies of the Hibakusha. They witnessed the hellish reality of massive firestorms and lethal radiation that instantly killed tens of thousands of innocent civilians in each of the two cities. The destruction overwhelmed doctors and nurses who tried to treat the survivors, revealing that there can be no adequate response to a nuclear attack. As a result of the unfathomable harm and destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, many survivors vowed to share their testimonies to ensure that humanity would never again use these weapons.
Through their testimonies, the survivors have demonstrated that nuclear weapons use violates international humanitarian law. We applaud the Norwegian Nobel Committee for awarding Nihon Hidankyo – the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations – the Nobel Peace Prize for 2024, in recognition of their decades-long advocacy.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
Despite the decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Nihon Hidankyo, thus elevating the voices of survivors and reminding the world of the horror of nuclear weapons, we are teetering on the edge of nuclear annihilation. On January 25, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists moved forward the Doomsday Clock by one second to 89 seconds to midnight – the closest it has ever been to a hypothesized global nuclear catastrophe. Leaders who once pledged “never again” now stand by as nuclear threats re-emerge. These threats raise the possibility of a limited nuclear exchange that could trigger a global famine and the complete collapse of human civilization. Thus, in the words of Annie Jacobsen, “A nuclear crisis is not a worst-case scenario, it is the worst-case scenario.”
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
The Nuclear-Weapon States have consistently failed to fulfill their legally binding commitment under Article VI. More than five decades after the Treaty entered into force, these States continue to spend billions on maintaining their weapons and even plan to spend trillion on modernizing their arsenals. They are also expanding their deterrence doctrines while simultaneously pointing to arms control agreements as means of complying with Article VI. Their relentless pursuit of nuclear capabilities undermines our collective right to a secure future as they misallocate funds that could be spent on combating poverty, addressing climate change, and building a more equitable world.
We, the youth, remind all States Parties that Article VI represents not an aspirational goal but a binding legal obligation that some States Parties have deliberately sidelined. We demand immediate and concrete steps toward fulfilling these long-delayed treaty obligations before the living memory of nuclear devastation is lost entirely. True security must rest on dialogue, equality, and interdependence—not the specter of destruction.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
We remain deeply troubled by gaps in the IAEA’s international framework for verification and compliance. Weak enforcement mechanisms and restricted access to facilities in certain countries undermine the system’s credibility. We urgently need a more robust, cooperative framework to ensure compliance based on transparency and accountability, especially in States where the IAEA has limited oversight.
In addition, the lack of effective regulation regarding dual-use technologies poses significant risks. These shortcomings are further exacerbated by weak enforcement mechanisms, especially at maritime ports, air freight corridors, and remote land border crossings. These gaps are not just technical, as the consequences of illicit procurement and proliferation impact humanity.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
This year marks thirty years since the adoption of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East – a cornerstone of the agreement that made the indefinite extension of the NPT possible. Yet three decades later, the vision of a NWFZ in the ME remains unfulfilled. Failure to implement this resolution has led to threats of nuclear weapons use in the ME, as a certain State in the Middle East on 5 November 2023 made threats to use nuclear weapons on Gaza, in addition to that same State also making another nuclear threat against Iran in September 2023.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
As young leaders, we refuse to relinquish hope. We firmly believe that the TPNW closes the missing legal gap on Article VI by clearly and unequivocally prohibiting nuclear weapons. The TPNW emerged from research and recognition of the humanitarian impact of these weapons, including testimonies of survivors of nuclear weapons testing and use.
We warmly congratulate the States Parties of the TPNW for convening the 3rd Meeting of States Parties last March. In that space, youth voices were not only welcomed – they were heard. This is the kind of leadership we need in the nonproliferation regime.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
As youth committed to disarmament, peace, justice, and human rights, we recognize that nuclear justice is inextricably linked to fulfilling Article VI commitments by the Nuclear Weapon States. Across Qazaqstan / Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Mā’ohi Nui / French-occupied Polynesia, Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and beyond, the legacy of nuclear testing is not theoretical—it is a living reality. In this regard, we are alarmed that the global taboo against nuclear weapons use and testing continues to erode, which jeopardizes all of humanity and undermines the CTBT.
In Kazakhstan, over 450 nuclear tests at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site exposed more than 1.5 million people to radiation, with health crises that persist generations later. In Kiribati and the surrounding Pacific, the UK and U.S. conducted dozens of atmospheric tests, contaminating entire atolls and displacing communities. Many of whom remain without recognition or reparations. The Solomon Islands, located near U.S. testing grounds, also suffered radiological exposure and ecological damage, yet still await meaningful justice. These are not distant memories; they are ongoing injustices. We ask you directly: Have these stories not been enough to remind us of what is at stake?
As youth, we demand a recommitment to truth, to accountability, and to ensuring that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.
Chair and Distinguished Excellencies,
A promising step forward is Kazakhstan and Kiribati’s UNGA Nuclear Justice Resolution (UNGA C1 Resolution L74, 2024). This updated resolution calls for the Secretary-General to convene an international meeting dedicated to victim assistance and environmental remediation
We see this resolution as a critical opportunity to revitalize long-overdue conversations on nuclear justice, reclaim political will, and re-centre the lived realities of affected communities. Kiribati and Kazakhstan’s leadership offer a vital platform to push nuclear justice to the forefront of disarmament dialogue, where it rightfully belongs.
We further applaud the Marshall Islands for highlighting the nuclear justice conversation in the Human Rights Council. We agree wholeheartedly that nuclear weapons violate the basic tenets of international human rights, including the fundamental right to life, a principle enshrined in international human rights law.
Ultimately, nuclear justice must be pursued not only as a legal and political obligation but as a moral and decolonial imperative, one that restores dignity, repairs harm, and lays the foundation for a peaceful and equitable future. States Parties must not pursue national security policies that adversely impact the fundamental rights of individuals and communities. Instead, they must address the enduring legacy of nuclear harm with humility and a firm commitment to justice.
Chair and Distinguished Representatives,
United in our shared belief of creating a world free of nuclear weapons, we, the youth, recommend the following to States Parties:
- Restart bilateral negotiations: Urge the US and Russia to conclude a successor treaty to New START and reach a new agreement that replaces the JCPOA;
- Call for constructive dialogue: We need open dialogue between Nuclear-Weapon States, their allies, and supporters of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons to bridge divides and create common ground;
- Adopt No First Use policies: All States parties should pledge to No First Use as an immediate risk reduction measure, redirecting investments from weapons modernization toward humanitarian protection and verification capabilities;
- Strive for greater and meaningful inclusion of historically marginalised voices: provide opportunities for Indigenous communities, nuclear-affected and frontline communities, women, and youth to actively contribute to the discussions ;
- Strengthen nuclear justice mechanisms: a). Expand compensation policies for affected communities, declassify historical test data, and establish independent accountability mechanisms; b). Convene the international meeting on victim assistance and environmental remediation prior to the next NPT Review Conference; and c). Demand that States Parties remedy the historical and ongoing harms caused by the testing and use of nuclear weapons;
- Recommit to the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East: We urge all Nuclear-Weapon States to recommit to the 1995 Resolution and participate in the annual conference on the zone to ensure its successful implementation;
- Promote disarmament education and youth participation: Support comprehensive disarmament education focused on the humanitarian impact to build nuclear literacy. We need to involve young people who will inherit these challenges through educating and providing them with a seat at the table; and
- Connect to broader agendas: Link nuclear disarmament to climate action, sustainable development, and human rights frameworks to elevate its relevance and urgency.
By prioritizing these actions, States Parties can create a more equitable and sustainable framework for the NPT regime. Integrating nuclear disarmament into broader global agendas will elevate its relevance and urgency. Education and public awareness campaigns must also be amplified to underscore the incompatibility of nuclear weapons with modern humanitarian values.
We demand collective courage, commitment to justice, inclusivity, and long-term human security. Our generation will not accept empty promises or half-measures.
Will your legacy be one of preservation or destruction?
Endorsed by
Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and its youth initiative, Reverse The Trend
Qazaq Nuclear Frontline Coalition (QNFC) / ASQAQ Koalitsiyasy
Disarmament Doves
Kuntum Ilham
Darius S. Gaye
Regional Coordinator
LIFT-Liberia
Réseau Africain pour le Maintien de la Paix (RAMP-BÉNIN)
AHOTON Rock, Spécialiste Désarmement, Démobilisation et Réintégration (DDR)
Peace Building Advisor, Président du RAMP-BÉNIN
Youth Partnership for Peace and Development (YPPD), Sierra Leone
Young Women’s Knowledge and Leadership Institute (YOWL, Sierra Leone
Basel Peace Office
Association of Young Leaders United for Sustainable Development (AJLUDD), Burundi
African Students For Interfaith Tolerance
Association Katawara
The Peacebuilding Project
Steppe Organization for Peace (STOP): Qazaq youth initiative for nuclear justice
Youth for TPNW
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom US Section, Executive Director
Pan – African Peacemakers Alliance (PAPA), South Sudan
African Peacekeeping Network (RAMP-BENIN )
Soka Gakkai International (SGI)
United Youth Task Force (UYTF), Adriatik Llugiqi
Astronomy Club Kosova (ACK), Suhel Ahmeti
IPNW
JASA
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]