Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Author: Christian N. Ciobanu

Side Event to the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

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On February 21, Bond Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat and Amir Ruzain, two youth representatives of Reverse The Trend South and SouthEast Asia, a youth initiative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), participated in a special event entitled “Advancing the Global Agenda toward Peaceful and Inclusive societies- Bridging Humanity, Security, and Sustainability.” This side event was held on the margins of the Asia Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development. Hiroshima Prefecture, Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace, RTT, and NAPF co-sponsored this event.

The speakers included: Mr. Kunihiko Shimadal, Principal Director of Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe) Japan; Ms. Evelyn Ralpho Director for Education and Public Awareness National Nuclear Commission, Marshall Islands; Mr. Muhadi Sugiono, a professor at the Universitas Gadjah Mada; as well as Amir Ruzain and Bond Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat of RTT.

Bringing together members of affected communities, youth, and academia, this side event aimed to draw attention to the history and long-existing efforts of the Asia-Pacific region toward peace and security in this age. Envisioning a sustainable future with peace and prosperity for all, the panel will help to clarify the linkage between the issues of peace and security and various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the conclusion of the session, participants identified the nexus between security and sustainable development through discussion with various stakeholders.

Mr. Kunihiko Shimadal, Principal Director of Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe) Japan, provided general remarks about the nexus between nuclear disarmament and sustainable development.

Ms. Evelyn Ralpho, Director for Education and Public Awareness, National Nuclear Commission, discussed the devastating impact of nuclear tests that were conducted in the Marshall Islands. She elaborated upon how the contamination impacted the ecosystem and impacted both the fish and breadfruit, two former staples of the Marshallese diet. Moreover, Ralpho underscored the importance of innovative nuclear disarmament initiatives, including the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In this regard, she announced that the National Nuclear Commission convened a series of youth debates on the TPNW.

Mr. Muhadi Sugiono explained that Southeast Asia states formed the ASEAN regional organization and the secretariat in order to mitigate conflicts between ASEAN states. He then proceeded to discuss ASEAN perspectives on nuclear disarmament.

Building upon Sugiono’s statement, Amir Ruzain highlighted the link between the SDGS and nuclear disarmament. He further discussed the expenditures of the Nuclear Weapon States on modernizing and maintaining their nuclear weapons and how these expenditures could have been spent on supporting the SDGs. He then touched upon the significance of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Following his remarks, Bond Rungrot Tatiyawongwiwat presented key information about Reverse The Trend, NAPF’s youth initiative, and Thailand’s role in promoting nuclear disarmament. He further explained the role of youth engagement in promoting the SDGs and nuclear disarmament.

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Amir Ruzain, RTT Southeast Asia Coordinator, emphasized the importance of youth voices in achieving a peaceful world.

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Muhadi Sugiono, Lecturer at Universitas Gadjah Mada, explains the link between nuclear weapons and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Rungrot (Bond) Tatiyawongwiwat and Amir Ruzain of RTT Southeast Asia highlight the role of youth voices in efforts to bridge the gap between SDGs and nuclear disarmament.

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February 26, 2024
Youth Activism on the TPNW Program

In mid-February of 2020, the Peace Action Fund of New York State, NuclearBan.US, Treaty Awareness Campaign, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, and Nuclear Age Peace Foundation launched the Youth Activism on the TPNW (Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons) Program. The coordinators were Emily Rubino of the Peace Action Fund of New York State; Eust Eustis of the Treaty Awareness Campaign; Molly McGinty of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War; and Christian N. Ciobanu of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.

As part of this program, the coordinators brought 15 students (11 from New York and 4 from Boston) to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)’s Forum on How to Ban Bombs and Influence People. This forum was held at Salle Olympe de Gouges, 15 Rue Merlin, 75011 Paris, France.

Upon arriving to Paris, the youth participated in an informal orientation, where they received the itinerary and met with one another. 5 Swiss students from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies and 1 doctoral student from Sciences Po also attended the orientation.

During the second and third days of the program, the youth attended the ICAN Forum. At the Forum, Setsuko Thurlow, a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, delivered the keynote address.

Following her moving address, the forum convened a series of panels, which focused on activism 101; the risks and consequences of nuclear weapons; detoxing from deterrence; how activists can work with parliamentarians and members of the financial community; how art can be used as a social justice tool; and how activists have challenged established narratives from various actors in the world such as the military, climate change, nuclear weapons, patriarchy, big business, and colonial powers. The panelists included: Jean-Marie Collin of ICAN France; Beatrice Fihn of ICAN; Ray Acheson of Reaching Critical Will; Susi Snyder of PAX, Catherine Killough of Women Cross DMZ; and Leona Morgan of the Nuclear Issues Group, amongst others. A list of the speakers can be found here.

During the final session of the Forum, participants heard from prominent actors of the climate movement, professional NGOs and single-issue coalitions about different pathways to achieving change.

Throughout the Forum, Susan Chapas, an intern of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, interviewed students about their thoughts on nuclear disarmament. These video clips will be available soon.

The participants felt empowered and are thinking about how they can shift the discourse on how nuclear weapons are discussed and engage in conversations with the public about the TPNW. Additionally, many young people shared that the Forum was the first time that they had heard about the intersectionality of climate change and nuclear weapons. Usually, they only hear about these issues in separate siloed discussions.

The participants also appreciated the fact that many of the panelists and participants of this program were women. A young person shared that women’s empowerment is vital, but unfortunately lacking at many disarmament forums. Thus, it was important for her to hear from strong female activists and participate in a program composed of young women.

February 27, 2020
UPENN International Affairs Association: Annual Penn Peace Project Conference

On October 21, UPENN’s International Affairs Association convened its annual conference with the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. The conference focused on the impact of nuclear weapons and climate change in the South Pacific. Ambassador Dr. Prasad of Fiji, Ambassador Teburoro Tito of Kiribati; H.E. Mr. Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia of Samoa; and Ms. Charlotte Skerten of New Zealand spoke at the event.

Ambassador Prasad of Fiji provided a moving and holistic overview on how the region suffered from the impact of nuclear testing. More than 300 nuclear weapons were detonated in the region, which caused widespread suffering amongst the citizens of the region and irradiated significant areas of the South Pacific. He also expressed profound sadness about the victims of nuclear testing. His presentation laid the foundation for the subsequent speakers, who elaborated upon his comments and specified the tragedy of nuclear testing.

Building upon Ambassador Prasad’s comments, H.E. Mr. Ali’ioaiga Feturi Elisaia of Samoa discussed the physical and emotional scars of the victims of nuclear testing. The Ambassador also mentioned the importance of the entry-into-force of the Treaty of Rarontonga and the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Moreover, he lamented about the failure amongst the Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to fulfill their obligations set forth in Article VI of the NPT.

Due to their refusal to comply with the obligations set forth in Article VI of the NPT, it is necessary for states to support the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). He underscored that the TPNW is an essential legal instrument in the nuclear disarmament architecture and will help establish a world free of nuclear weapons.

The Ambassador also touched upon how climate change is an existential threat to both the Pacific Islands and all citizens. He underscored the importance of the Paris Climate Conference and the agreement about 1.5C increase.

Ambassador Teburoro Tito of Kiribati discussed the devastating effects of the nuclear testing on Christmas Island by the United Kingdom. The UK tested a series of four nuclear weapons in 1957 and 1958 at Malden Island and Kiritimati (Christmas Island) in the Pacific Ocean as part of the British hydrogen bomb program. Nine nuclear explosions were initiated.

The Ambassador further mentioned that the explosions illuminated the night’s sky and it felt that the sun rose during the middle of the night. Eventually, the citizens discovered the dark-side of humanity. As a result of the legacy of nuclear tests, the Ambassador announced that he is in consultations with the President of Kiribati to establish a regional center about the TPNW on Christmas Island.

As the final speaker, Ms. Charlotte Skerten discussed the Auckland Conference, which New Zealand convened for the Pacific Islands in December of 2018. The conference examined and took stock of the treaty within the context of the Pacific and its legacy of nuclear testing. She further shared that a global youth forum on the TPNW was held in connection to the Auckland Conference. At the forum, young U.S. and Pacific students shared their views about nuclear disarmament. Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu served as a co-chair of the Forum.

Significantly, in connection to the discussion about the Auckland Conference, Ambassador Prasad proposed that Fiji should host the next conference. This option could be explored further once Fiji ratifies the TPNW.

During the discussion with the audience, the ambassadors encouraged the students to become activists and take action. Responding to the encouragement, the students expressed interest in the movement and becoming involved. Many of them thought about how they could take action. Additionally, the majority of the participants felt very overwhelmed about the tragedy of nuclear testing in the region.

December 30, 2019
Discussions on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at the 2019 UNGA First Committee

As we approach the 2020 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference, it is important to reflect upon the current situation with nuclear weapons and the sliver of hope that humanity now has in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Brief History

As part of the grand bargain between the Nuclear Weapon Sates (NWS) and the Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS), the NWS agreed that they would “pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament.” In exchange, the NNWS would not acquire nuclear weapons.

For decades, the NWS have not lived up to their part of their bargain to completely eliminate their nuclear weapons. Because of their opposition, 14,000 nuclear weapons still exist today. Additionally, the NWS have continuously modernized their nuclear weapons arsenals. In the case of the United States (U.S.), it plans to spend $494 billion over the next decade, which is an average of around $50 billion per year. Furthermore, according to the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation, U.S. modernization plans could cost as much as $1 trillion over the next three decades. Consequently, the NWS have continued to dangle Damocles’ Sword over the heads of all states and humanity.

At countless NPT Review meetings, the NWS claimed that the “conditions were not yet ripe” for them to disarm their nuclear weapons. They also praised themselves for agreeing upon on a glossary of terms as a “step” towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

Emergence of the TPNW

As it became increasingly clear that the NWS would not ban their nuclear weapons, the NNWS and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) said enough is enough and took matters into their own hands. These states recognized the missing legal gap in Article VI of the NPT in the form of a legal prohibition for the complete and total elimination of nuclear weapons as articulated in the Humanitarian Pledge.

With this in mind, the vast majority of states, in partnership with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), successfully negotiated a Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in July of 2017 and one hundred and twenty two states voted in favor of the adoption of the treaty. The treaty unequivocally bans nuclear weapons once and for all. It is compatible with the NPT and is a necessary element for its implementation.

To date, eighty states have signed and thirty-four states have ratified it. Fifty states are required to ratify it before it enters into humanitarian law. Once it becomes part of international customary humanitarian law, it will create a legal norm against nuclear weapons and completely prohibit them.

2019 First Committee: Civil Society Statements

To highlight the importance of the TPNW, the ICAN and international youth underscored the necessity for states to support the TPNW. ICAN underscored that:

14,000 nuclear weapons that exist in the world today pose an acute existential threat to all of us. No nation is immune to the radioactive fallout that would transcend national borders if these weapons were ever used again. No nation is immune to the climate disruption, agricultural and economic collapse, mass human displacement and famine that would inevitably follow even a limited nuclear war.

Additionally, young people reiterated that nuclear weapons remain an immediate threat facing humanity; and therefore, they must be banned.

2019 First Committee’s resolution

Due to the fact that an overwhelming number of states have expressed their support for the TPNW and their opposition to the status quo, fifty states delivered statements in support of the treaty during First Committee.

Austria introduced its resolution entitled “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (L.12). Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Botswana, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Gambia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Libya, Liechtenstein, Malawi, Mexico, Namibia, Nepal, New Zealand, Nigeria, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, South Africa, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, Uruguay and Viet Nam co-sponsored the resolution.

The resolution contains seven operative paragraphs, including:

Op 5, which calls upon those States in a position to do so to promote adherence to the Treaty through bilateral, sub regional, regional and multilateral contacts, outreach and other means;

Op. 6. Requests the Secretary-General, as depositary of the Treaty, to report to the General Assembly at its seventy-fifth session on the status of signature and ratification, acceptance, approval or accession of the Treaty;

States requested votes on both operative paragraphs.

On Op. 5, 128 states voted in favor, 40 states voted against it, and 13 abstained on it. Concerning Op. 6, 109 states voted in favor, 26 states voted against, and 23 states abstained. As a whole, 119 states voted in favor, 41 states voted against, and 15 states abstained.

The Opposition

The NWS and their allies opposed the resolution. In a joint statement, France, the United Kingdom (UK), and the U.S. explained that “nuclear deterrence is essential to international security.” They further contended that the TPNW “denies this reality.” This assertion that nuclear deterrence is essential to international security completely contravenes the spirit and intent of the NPT.

In its national statement, the U.S. articulated that the TPNW “will not move us any closer to the eliminating nuclear weapons and has increased political divisions that make future disarmament efforts more difficult.” It further claimed that methodical approaches, such as creating the environment/conditions, including verification and compliance, will be more effective than the TPNW at achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.

Even though the U.S. claims that it supports the creation of an environment or conditions for nuclear disarmament, President Trump’s actions suggest otherwise. As described in the 2018 US Nuclear Posture Review, the Trump administration is interested in developing low-yield nuclear weapons. Further, the posture explicitly mentions the U.S. could employ nuclear weapons in response to “significant non-nuclear strategic attacks.” This includes but is not limited to “attacks on U.S., allied, or partner civilian population or infrastructure.” Furthermore, the document asserts that the U.S. “could employ nuclear weapons in response to “attacks on U.S. or allied nuclear forces, their command and control, or warning and attack assessment capabilities.” This new policy suggests that the U.S. would use nuclear weapons to respond to a cyber attack and categorically rejects a sole purpose policy. Considering the policies set forth in U.S. Nuclear Posture Review, it is hard to fathom that the U.S. cares about creating the environment or conditions for a world free of nuclear weapons.

The UK presented a similar argument, contending that the TPNW risks undermining the NPT and fails to address technical and procedural challenges that must be overcome to achieve nuclear disarmament.

Hope

Despite the opposition from the NWS and their allied states, the TPNW will enter into force extremely soon. In fact, as illustrated in the Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty Monitor, the rate of ratification and adherence to the TPNW amongst states after 24 months has been higher than the majority of other WMD treaties as is shown in the graph below.

The entry into force of the TPNW will mark a new era for the international community. It will strengthen the rule of law and the NPT. It will also send a clear signal that the vast majority of states will not remain hostage to a small group of states.

We cannot continue to live on the precipice of annihilation. Thus, states and civil society groups must continue to collaborate to ensure that the TPNW- a robust complementary instrument to the NPT- enters into force.

Top image of UN General Assembly Hall by Patrick Gruban, cropped and downsampled by Pine – originally posted to Flickr as UN General Assembly, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4806869

December 30, 2019
The 69th United Nations First Committee
During the 69^th Session of the First Committee, states discussed effective measures or rather the lack of effective measures associated with nuclear disarmament. In her opening statement to the First Committee, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security of the US, claimed that the US is committed to Article VI of the NPT. She specified that the US is striving to achieve a world without nuclear weapons, and it would be a mistake for states to question the US’ commitments. She further cited that the US “has made clear of its readiness to discuss further nuclear reductions with the Russian Federation, but progress requires a willing partner and a good environment.”

If the US and the other Nuclear Weapon States were truly committed to their Article VI commitments, then they would demonstrate their convictions on engaging in good faith negotiations on nuclear disarmament. However, many states and NGOs have argued that the US and other Nuclear Weapon States are not following through with their commitments as detailed in the legal arguments set forth by the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Expressing the importance of the lawsuits by the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the delegation of Fiji, on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States, reminded delegations that the “Republic of the Marshall Islands is taking action before the International Court of Justice aimed at holding all nuclear-armed states to account for their failure to engage in good-faith negotiations for nuclear disarmament, as required by the NPT and customary international law.” In addition, the delegation of Palau proclaimed that it “stands in solidarity with the Republic of the Marshall Islands – a nation heavily affected by these tests – in its legal proceedings before the International Court of Justice aimed at compelling the nuclear-armed states to fulfill their legal obligation to disarm.”

Conveying the lack of progress in implementing Article VI commitments, Mr. Breifne O’Reilly of the Irish delegation noted that the continuing failure to achieve progress on nuclear disarmament militates against our efforts to pursue non-proliferation. Moreover, he referred to the New Agenda Coalition’s working paper to the 2014 NPT PrepCom on effective measures related to nuclear disarmament to illustrate the different possible paths associated with nuclear disarmament. He further questioned whether the Nuclear Weapon States’ decisions to upgrade and modernize their nuclear weapons are consistent with their commitments set forth in the 2010 NPT Action Plan.

Interestingly, the delegation of Palau announced that it is time for the international community to support a ban on nuclear weapons. A ban treaty would “put nuclear weapons on the same legal footing as chemical and biological weapons, which have been comprehensively prohibited. A nuclear weapons ban would also be an effective measure towards the fulfillment of Article VI.” In addition, the delegate claimed that negotiations on a ban treaty could even begin without the nuclear-armed states. Finally, this treaty could establish a normative effect and represent a step towards creating a world free of nuclear weapons.

As states discussed effective measures on nuclear disarmament, New Zealand presented a joint statement on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons on behalf of 155 states. H.E. Ambassador Dell Higgie of New Zealand noted that there is a growing amount of political support amongst states and civil society for a humanitarian focus on nuclear disarmament.

For the first time ever, Sweden joined New Zealand’s joint statement on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. In a surprisingly strong statement, H.E. Ambassador Grunditz informed delegations that Sweden “firmly believes that the humanitarian perspective can contribute to next year’s NPT Review Conference by providing new energy to the debate, impetus to accelerate disarmament, and information to new generations on the dangers of nuclear weapons.”

Although numerous states endorsed New Zealand’s joint statement on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons, 20 states signed Australia’s statement. In contrast to New Zealand’s joint statement, the Australian joint statement noted that the elimination of nuclear weapons is only possible if states were to engage in constructive engagements with the Nuclear Weapon States. Moreover, the delegation of Australia argued that several practical contributions to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons would include: unblocking the Conference on Disarmament, begin negotiations for a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT), and bring into the entry of force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Key Resolutions

The First Committee approved several key resolutions related to nuclear disarmament. These resolutions include the following:
1. A/C.1/69/L.21 Taking Forward Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament Negotiations, Lead Sponsors: Austria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Slovenia and Switzerland
1. A/C.1/69/L.22 Decreasing the Operational Readiness of the Nuclear Weapons Systems, Lead Sponsors: Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, and Switzerland
2. A/C.1/69/L.44 Follow-up to the 2013 high-level Meeting of the General Assembly on Nuclear Disarmament, Lead Sponsor: Indonesia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement
3. A/C.1/69/L.47 Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms control: Leader Sponsors: Australia, Austria, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Finland, France, Guatemala, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, and United States of America
In regards to L. 21 entitled Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament

Negotiations, this resolution focused on the work of the Opened-Ended Working Group on Nuclear Disarmament, which was held in Geneva throughout 2013. The resolution specified that the 70^th UN General Assembly would examine whether it would be necessary to reconvene the group. 152 states voted in favor of it, 4 voted against it, and 22 abstained from voting on the resolution. Among the states, which voted against the resolution were the US, UK, France, and the Russian Federation, which also boycotted the 2013 Session of the OEWG in Geneva. Moreover, in the US, UK, and France’s joint statement against the resolution, the states claimed that they were concerned about the resolution’s inconsistency to the 2010 NPT Action Plan. In addition, they argued that the resolution contains limited references to the urgency for the early commencement of the FMCT and detracted from the consensus approach, which was embodied in the 2010 NPT Action Plan. They were further displeased that the OEWG solely focused on nuclear disarmament instead of examining nonproliferation issues as well.

In terms of L. 22 entitled Decreasing the Operational Readiness Status of the Nuclear Weapons System, this resolution focused on nuclear de-alerting. 163 states voted in favor of the resolution, 10 states abstained from voting, and 4 voted against the resolution. In a joint statement against the resolution, the US, UK, and France strongly argued that the dynamic relationship between security and alert status of the nuclear weapons systems is much more complicated than the co-sponsors of the resolution suggested in the resolution. They further asserted that their command and control systems are robust and safeguarded. Thus, they claimed that the risks of accidental launch or mistakes are minimum.

Regarding L. 44 on the follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament in the General Assembly, this resolution requires the UN General Assembly to establish an international conference on nuclear disarmament by 2018 and calls for the establishment of a nuclear weapons convention. 135 states voted in favor of the resolution, 24 voted against it, and 18 abstained from it. As part of their joint statement against the resolution, the delegations of UK, France, and US noted that the HLM did not engage in substantive discussions on neither nuclear nonproliferation nor noncompliance issues. They were further concerned about the lack of references to the 2010 NPT Action Plan in the resolution. The states also claimed that if the conference were to be convened in 2018, then it may detract from the success of the upcoming 2015 NPT Review Conference. Finally, the three states contended that all states should engage in the steps-by-steps approach, which includes negotiations and early commencement of the FMCT, and the immediate entry into force of the CTBT.

The First Committee further adopted L.47 entitled Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Control. The resolution requires the UN General Assembly “to provide equal opportunities for women in all decision making, as related to the prevention and reduction of armed violence and armed conflict. It also urges states to strengthen the effective participation of women in disarmament-related organisations at the local, national, subregional and regional levels.”

Originally, preambular paragraph 8 contained the phrase “serious acts of violence against women and children.” This section was deleted and orally revised to “noting the imminent entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty and therefore encourages States parties to fully implement all the provision of the Treaty including the provisions on serious acts of gender-based violence.”

Due to the changes in the preambular paragraph, delegates called for a vote instead of adopting the resolution without a vote. 139 states voted in favor of the revised text and 24 abstained from voting. As a result of the section about the Arms Trade Treaty, Iran, India, Syria and Armenia abstained from the vote. Luckily, as a whole, 171 states approved the resolution, and numerous states commended the resolution.

Overall, substantial discussions were held on nuclear disarmament by progressive states and the Nuclear Weapon States. In addition, drawing upon US, France and the UK’s responses to several substantial resolutions on nuclear disarmament, there are concerns on whether the P5 will continue to impede the process of establishing a world without nuclear weapons. The discourse about building blocks merely shows their unwillingness to support any bold steps and fulfill their Article VI commitments. Therefore, the non-nuclear weapon states and members of civil society are tasked with creating a ban treaty.
November 12, 2014
Side Event: Seminar on Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education

On Friday, 2 May 2014, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, Soka Gakkai International, Peace Boat, Hibakusha Stories and IPPNW Costa Rica, with the assistance of the Mission of Austria, convened a seminar on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education. Speakers included: Ms. Virginia Gamba, Director of the Office for Disarmament Affairs and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs; Dr. William C. Potter, Director of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies: Ms. Tamara Patton, Research Associate at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP); Ms. Michiko Kodama, Hiroshima survivor and Assistant Secretary General of Hidankyo; Ms. Hayley Ramsay-Jones of SGI in Geneva, and Dr. Alexandra Arce von Herold, Co-President of IPPNW Costa Rica and a member of Ban All Nukes generation. Dr. Ronald Sturm, Head of the Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, and Nuclear Security Unit, IAEA, CTBTO, NPT, NSG, MTCR, and HCOC Executive Secretariat from the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration, and Foreign Affairs of Austria, moderated the event.

Throughout the event, Dr. Sturm of Austria, the moderator, noted the significance of the different speakers because they represented different constituents and stakeholders who have been promoting nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education. Moreover, he commented about the importance of the discussions associated with humanitarian approach of nuclear weapons. He further discussed that the energy of the youth has been contagious for members of the international community.

Ms. Virginia Gamba focused on the UN’s involvement in promoting education and emphasized the importance of educating young people. She talked about the importance of establishing solidarity amongst the youth on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation issues. Their solidarity would help raise awareness about the issues. Moreover, Ms. Gamba presented UNODA’s Action for Disarmament: 10 Things You Can Do, “a book that shows young people actionable steps they can take to personally lead the call for disarmament.”

Dr. William C. Potter delivered an introductory speech about new pedagogical tools in nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation education and introduced Ms. Tamara Patton, a Research Associate at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP), to explain these tools to the audience. Specifically, she explained these pedagogical tools, which include: new analytic software, satellite imagery, and virtual reality projects. The software involves data from Human Geo, Geofeedia, Map Large, and Rosette to analyze issues relevant to nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament issues. Furthermore, satellite imageries enable individuals to analyze facilities related to fissile material production and centrifuge capacities. She described that CNS developed a virtual verification course and VCDNP established a virtual reality project to support verification research.

Then Ms. Michiko Kodama provided her testimony about the terrible day when the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima. Moreover, she discussed that world leaders must visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki to see the real effects of the use of nuclear weapons. Her personal message triggered a strong response from the members of the participants to reflect upon why we need to ban nuclear weapons.

Following Ms. Michiko Kodama’s statement, Ms. Hayley Ramsay-Jones spoke about the relevance that civil society has on the promotion of non-formal education. Specifically, Ms. Hayley Ramsay-Jones addressed SGI’s international survey on attitudes towards nuclear weapons, “People’s Decade for Nuclear Abolition,” and the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. She noted that you do not have to be an expert to engage in dialogue discussions about nuclear weapons with policy leaders and decision makers.

Afterwards, Dr. Alexandra Arce von Herold mentioned the importance of education through actions. She also noted that it is essential to engage with young people. She explained that often people from previous generations perceive the youth as naive individuals.

In actuality, many young people see everything from fresh and new perspectives. Moreover, she stated that when the youth are involved through actions or delivering speeches, their joint energies are contagious to others and help them to refresh their own energies. She also addressed Ban All Nukes generation’s Game Changers project in Nayarit, Mexico and Ban All Nukes generation’s contributions to the Opened-ended Working Group. These examples indicate young people’s determination to change the world and illustrate that young people have significant roles in the arena.

Overall, the speakers underscored how different constituents and civil society organizations are educating young individuals. They suggested that there are different methods, including workshops, meetings with the survivors of atomic bomb survivors, and engaging in informal educational opportunities, which can help empower and educate the current generation of young people about the destructive effects of nuclear weapons.

If different groups can continue to provide various educational opportunities for young people, then it would be possible to transform young people into Game Changers, who will make a difference and join the growing movement against nuclear weapons.

June 12, 2014
NAPF Activities at the UN General Assembly First Committee

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation has actively engaged with young people on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation by providing them with opportunities to observe the UN First Committee and events on nuclear disarmament.

Engagement with Young People

To ensure that young people could actively monitor discussions in UNGA’s First Committee, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation collaborated with Ban All Nukes Generation. As part of this collaboration, NAPF accredited several young people and provided them with opportunities to monitor international discussions on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, alternative forums in the international disarmament machinery, and the WMDFZ in the Middle East.

In addition, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation formed a relationship with Northeastern University to enable a young person to help the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and Ban All Nukes Generation in New York. The student, Ms. Christina Reynolds, a senior at Northeastern, has been actively monitoring the First Committee and assisting the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation with its events and presentations in New York.

Events

On October 22, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Peace Boat, and Hibakusha Stories convened a side event entitled “ Different perspectives on nuclear disarmament: Hibakusha, Humanitarian, and the Youth.” Ms. Setsuko Thurlow and Mr. Yasuaki Yamashita provided moving testimonies about the devastating impact of nuclear weapons in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu focused on Ban All Nuke Generation’s project in Oslo on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. He explained to the audience that BANG brought 40 young people to Oslo during the Norwegian Conference on the Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons. He also explained how this opportunity provided young activities to bolster the humanitarian initiative.

Finally, Mr. Clifton Truman Daniel, the grandson of US President Truman, focused on his personal conviction to support the nuclear disarmament movement.On October 27, Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu and Mr. Fabian Rutherford, Geneva Representative of the School of African and Oriental Studies’ Strategic Concept for Removal of Arms and Proliferation (SCRAP), organized a special presentation for students at Drew University on civil society’s perspectives on nuclear disarmament.

Mr. Ciobanu focused on the humanitarian initiative on nuclear weapons and the imperative need for the international community to immediately ban these nuclear weapons. Mr. Rutherford provided a general overview of the international disarmament machinery and information about SCRAP’s project to these young students.

October 31, 2013
Youth Program on the Humanitarian Dimensions of Nuclear Disarmament

In early September 2012, with the generous support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, students from Austria, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Switzerland, Iran, Italy, Palestine, and Romania participated in the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Youth Program on the Humanitarian Dimensions of Nuclear Disarmament. These students met with members of civil society and representatives from different states. They further participated in a seminar on the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament and an informational workshop about the Ban All Nukes Generation’s tentative program, entitled “Claim your voice. Ban the Bomb,” a youth empowerment program that will be held during the conference in Oslo.

Prior to the program, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation established an international coordinating group for this program. This international coordinating group assembled a background document, which contained references to reports from NGOs and statements by states, including Switzerland, about the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament.

When the students arrived to Geneva on September 4, 2012, they participated in a roundtable discussion with members of the NGO Committee for Disarmament, a substantive committee of the Conference of NGOs with Consultative relationship with the United Nations Committee, that is composed of Reaching Critical Will, International Peace Bureau, Mayors for Peace, World Council of Churches, Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons. During this meeting, participants asked the members of the NGO Committee about the international disarmament machinery, the role of religious organizations in promoting nuclear disarmament, and the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament.

After the roundtable discussion with members of the NGO Committee for Disarmament, Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu distributed information about different states’ views on nuclear disarmament to the students. He also underscored the importance of the Swiss joint statement on the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament to the participants.

Once the participants received an adequate background on the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament, the participants met with representatives from Non-Nuclear Weapon States. Most of these representatives explained to them why their governments either supported or did not support the joint statement on the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament.

In the afternoon of September 5, the participants attended the NGO Committee for Disarmament’s Seminar on the Humanitarian Dimensions of Nuclear Disarmament in which Mr. Colin Archer, the Secretary-General of the International Peace Bureau served as the moderator. During this seminar, the participants heard statements from Mr. Peter Herby, head of the legal division of the International Committee of the Red Cross; Dr. Daniel Plesch, Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies’ Center for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD); Mr. Magnus Lovold, a representative of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN); and Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu, Geneva Representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Finally, based on the feedback from the participants, they enjoyed Lovold and Ciobanu’s views on how the humanitarian disarmament process can help raise awareness about the need for the international community to support a nuclear weapons convention and the devastating environmental impacts of nuclear weapons.

On September 6, the final day of the program, the Ban All Nukes Generation convened an informational workshop about the “Claim your voice. Ban the Bomb.” In addition, as part of the workshop, the representatives of Ban All Nukes Generation underscored the need for young people to become empowered citizens and attend the program in Oslo in March 2013. The program would also tentatively give young European people an opportunity to make an impact at the conference in Oslo. Specifically, it will provide them with the methodological tools they need to become actively involved at the local, national and European levels to resolve both the global political and environmental impacts of nuclear weapons.

October 30, 2012
Report on the NGO Committee for Disarmament Seminar

On September 5, 2012, with the generous support of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the NGO Committee for Disarmament convened the “Seminar on the Humanitarian Dimensions of Nuclear Disarmament” at the Palais des Nations in which Mr. Colin Archer, Secretary-General of the International Peace Bureau, served as the moderator.

During the seminar, Mr. Peter Herby, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross` Mines-Arms Unit; Dr. Daniel Plesch, Director of the School of Oriental and African Studies` Center for International Studies and Diplomacy (CISD); Mr. Magnus Lovold, a representative of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN); and Mr. Christian N. Ciobanu, Geneva Representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, provided important perspectives about the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament to students, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Non-Nuclear Weapon States, Nuclear Weapon States, and officials from the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.

The following is a brief description of what each speaker discussed at the seminar.

Peter Herby

Mr. Herby explained the bombings of Hiroshima caused thousands of civilian deaths, including 270 doctors, 16 nurses, and 112 pharmacists in Hiroshima. He also described the devastating health effects of nuclear weapons on the hibakusha, such as the ionizing effects of Uranium-235 and genetic complications caused by the highly enriched Uranium-235. These effects prompted the ICRC to publicly vocalize its position in favor of nuclear disarmament in late 1945.

Mr. Herby further touched upon the three core principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), including the principle of distinctions between civilians and combatants, the principle of proportionality, and the principle of precaution of attack. He further elaborated upon the International Court of Justice’s 1996 Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons. Finally, he touched upon the ICRC’s decision to affirm its position on nuclear disarmament in 2011.

Daniel Plesch

Dr. Plesch provided a concise historical overview of the evolution of International Humanitarian Law to the participants of the seminar. He described how the results of the Nuremberg Trials and the Commission of the Universal Declaration established the basis of IHL. He further discussed the international community’s views on IHL during the period of the Cold War. Finally, he elaborated upon the ICJ’s 1996 Advisory Opinion and the Nuclear Weapons States’ nuclear deterrence doctrines to illustrate how the Nuclear Weapon States are violating IHL by investing in and modernizing their nuclear arsenals.

Dr. Plesch also mentioned that the international community should engage in discussions on disarmament within the context of the Open Skies Agreement as illustrated in CISD’s Strategic Concept for Removal of Arms and Proliferation. This process will help the international community to evaluate disarmament within a new context.

As part of his concluding remarks, Dr. Plesch suggested that the international community should develop a framework, which would be similar to the Iraqi Weapons Inspection Regime, to pressure the Nuclear Weapon States to dismantle their nuclear weapons.

Magnus Lovold

As a representative of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Mr. Magnus Lovold explained that “the humanitarian aspects of nuclear disarmament provide an opportunity to take the issue down from the high shelves of international security, and turn it into something that everyone can understand.” Moreover, he argued that the humanitarian approach enables key actors in the disarmament movement to form linkages between the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament and other humanitarian disarmament processes, including the process leading to the treaty banning landmines and the treaty banning cluster bombs. Finally, by forming linkages between different disarmament processes, ICAN can form the necessary relationships with new organizations to encourage the international community to agree to a treaty that bans nuclear weapons.

Christian N. Ciobanu

Mr. Ciobanu, Geneva Representative of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, said that states must support the humanitarian dimensions of nuclear disarmament to avoid the possibility of a nuclear war that would directly contribute to a nuclear famine in the world. He remarked that a nuclear war anywhere in the world, using as few as 100 weapons, would disrupt the global climate and agricultural production so severely that the lives of more than a billion people would be at risk. Finally, he contended that leading atmospheric scientists warned that the effects of a regional war between neighboring states could cause nuclear famine.

To illustrate his point that a regional war between neighboring states can contribute to nuclear famine, Mr. Ciobanu described that scientists modeled a nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan in which each side detonates 50 Hiroshima-size nuclear weapons on the other side’s cities. He noted that smoke from the burning cities would rise into the stratosphere, where it would reduce sunlight for up to ten years, dropping temperatures on Earth to the lowest levels in the past 1,000 years and shortening growing seasons across the planet. The result would be crop failures and a nuclear famine, which could result in the deaths of hundreds of millions to a billion people globally.

Mr. Ciobanu underscored that states should support Article 51 and Article 54 of the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Convention. Finally, he emphasized that states must support the principles of IHL and produce tangible political results to create a world that is free of nuclear weapons.

October 30, 2012
NAPF Statement to UN Human Rights Council

UN Human Rights Council: 21st Session
Speaker: NAPF Geneva Representative, Christian N. Ciobanu
13 September 2012
Agenda Item 3: Cluster ID with Special Rapporteur on Hazardous Substances and Waste
Click here to read NAPF’s supplementary written statement

Dear Madame President,

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) welcomes the report by the Special Rapporteur on Hazardous Substances and Waste in which he elaborates upon the conditions and consequences of the nuclear fallout in the Marshall Islands from U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands, an island country composed of 34 coral atolls.

As a traditional island nation, the Marshallese enjoyed a self-sufficient sustainable way of life before nuclear weapons testing. U.S. compensation and remediation has been insufficient to fully attend to the healthcare and socioeconomic needs of the Marshallese people. 

Madame President,

Due to the inadequate response from the U.S. government, it has been difficult for the Republic of the Marshall Islands to uphold the indigenous people’s human rights related to environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste. These rights include the following:

1. Right to adequate health and life 
2. Right to adequate food and nutrition 
3. Right to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation 
4. Right to the enjoyment of a safe, clean and healthy sustainable environment 

These rights are elaborated in the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights obligations related to environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and waste as contained in A/HRC/21/48.

Because there are persisting unresolved problems related to the U.S. government’s treatment of the indigenous citizens of the Marshall Islands, NAPF aligns itself with the U.N. Special Rapporteur’s suggestion that the international community, the United States, and the Government of the Marshall Islands must develop long term strategic measures to address the effects of the nuclear testing program and specific challenges in each atoll. As such, it is imperative that the U.S. government and the international community implement human rights measures to provide adequate redress to the citizens of the Marshall Islands.

Thank you, Madame President.

September 13, 2012