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Nuclear bomb explosion in front of a beach.
WikiImages | Pixabay

Remembrance Day

Between 1946 and 1958, the United States detonated 67 nuclear bombs in the Marshall Islands, creating 3.1 million cubic feet of radioactive waste and forcing hundreds of people to relocate. Every 1 March, the Marshall Islands commemorates the victims and survivors of these nuclear tests and reminds the world of the destructive legacy left by the use of nuclear weapons.

Remembrance Day
Nuclear weapons ICAN poster displaying world map in grey and white
Flickr | Wales for Peace

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

With the NPT 10th review conference underway, we continue to witness the stock piling of nuclear weapons in nuclear states. Russia's nuclear war threats, Iran's growing nuclear programme, Chinese and Taiwanese tensions, and North Korean nuclear missile testing, puts the world in an incredibly dangerous position. With 13,000 nuclear warheads still in existence, and growing, now is the time to reinforce commitments to a nuclear free world, and ensure the lasting safety and peace of civilians and our planet.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
ICAN-Australia

Meeting of State Parties

After several postponements, the first Conference of State Parties to the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) will take place on June 21-23, 2022 in Vienna. With the ongoing war in Ukraine and repeated threats from Russia to use nuclear weapons, this conference is more important than ever. Focusing on the devastating humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons, the main goal therefore its to have all UN states implement and sign the obligations of the 2021 Nuclear Weapons Ban Treaty.

Meeting of State Parties

Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty

This is the first international agreement signed by 50 countries on July 7th, 2017. The treaty prohibits the development, testing and production of nuclear weapons with the goal of complete elimination.

Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty

U.S. Military Budget

The USA spends more than 50% of their federal funding on the military and its current estimate is $686,000,000,000. Thus the U.S. military budget is twice as high as that of China and Russia combined.

U.S. Military Budget

ICAN

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons is a group of non-governmental organizations from 100 countries who promote adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty. 

ICAN
"Successor Submarine" by Defence Images is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

AUKUS

Controversial tri-lateral agreement between Australia, the UK, and the USA - aimed at enhancing security, and countering China’s military dominance in the Asia-Pacific region. As one of the biggest defence partnerships in decades, it will allow Australia to build nuclear-submarines for the first time. Many have labelled the agreement as an intensification of the arms race, and do not condone this massive military build-up. The French government have called the deal a stab in the back, and globally there are concerns it undermines peace and stability in the region.

AUKUS
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

No First Use - Nuclear Policy

As the 76th anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing looms, peace and anti-nuclear campaigners are calling for the US to adopt a No First Use policy – preventing the US from ever initiating the first use of nuclear weapons. The policy aims to reduce the risk of nuclear war, but also to support the case for nuclear disarmament and stop proliferation. Will Biden join China and sign an unconditional NFU policy, setting the example for other countries to follow?

No First Use - Nuclear Policy

Killer Drones

An aircraft not requiring a human pilot to manage it, drones can be controlled remotely from any country and activated in any location. In recent years, the US army has increasingly been using drones against targets in foreign countries leading to over 6000 deaths in 2015, including many innocent people. 

Killer Drones

9/11 Attacks

This year marks the 19th anniversary of the terrorist attacks against the United States. 2,977 people were killed and over 25,000 injured. As a result of the attack, America declared War on terror in the Middle East. Mainly targeting radical Islamic groups, but also causing countless civilian casualties and human rights violations.

9/11 Attacks
Campaign to stop killer robots

Ban Killer Robots Now!

NGOs from all over the world and more than 2,400 scientists specialized in Artificial Intelligence have raised their voices against Killer Robots. This autonomous weapons can target and kill a person without human supervision.

Ban Killer Robots Now!
Black and white image of two huge smoke plumes and many Vietname onlookers watching the smoke wearing traditional cone shaped hats
Flickr | manhhai

The end of the Vietnam War

On the 30th of April 1975 the Vietnam War ended with the evacuation of Saigon and the defeat of the American Army. Between 2 to 4 Million Vietnamese people died during this War, many civilians were mutilated or burned by Napalm bombs. The effects of the chemical weapons used by the American Army harm Vietnamese nature and people till this day. Many US veterans suffered a trauma, the suicide rate is higher than the death toll of the war. Sad numbers for a senseless war. Did America learn from it? They did not.

The end of the Vietnam War
Nuclear bomb explosion in front of a beach.
WikiImages | Pixabay

U.S. Nuclear Posture Review

In February 2018 the U.S. Department of Defense presented a review of their nuclear policy, strategy, capabilities and position for the next 5 to 10 years. Find information on the key issues here.

U.S. Nuclear Posture Review

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Hero of the Month

Tadatoshi Akiba

A peace activist that served as the mayor of Hiroshima, Tadatoshi Akiba is now an advocate for global nuclear disarmament.

Featured Organisation of the Month

The global movement against gun violence

The International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) is a global movement against gun violence, linking together civil society organisations that work on stopping the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons. IANSA supports efforts that make people safer by reducing the demand for weapons, improving firearm regulation and strengthening controls on arms transfers. 

Featured Online Resource of the Month

UNODA

The United Nations Office on Disarmament Affairs was established in 1998 and works to promote nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation; to strengthen the disarmament regimes in respect to other weapons of mass destruction; to strengthen disarmament efforts in the area of conventional weapons. On their website you can find an extensive collection of disarmament resources, including background information, data, treaty information, reports and links to other resources.

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