International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons - September 26, 2024
By Teboho Mosebo/GICJ
Background
As a follow-up to its high-level summit on nuclear disarmament on 26 September 2013 in New York, the General Assembly established the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons in December 2013 through resolution 68/32. This aligned with the most recent initiatives to increase awareness and encourage deeper participation in nuclear disarmament issues.
Since 2014, the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons has been celebrated on a yearly basis. In accordance with the General Assembly's resolutions, individual citizens, academic institutions, non-governmental organisations, parliamentarians, the mass media, and Member States of the UN are all urged to commemorate and promote the International Day by raising public awareness and educating the public about the threat that nuclear weapons poses on humanity and necessity for their total elimination.
Some of the notable events related to nuclear weapons are the famous atomic bombs, which destroyed the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (Japan) in 1945 and are estimated to have immediately killed a total of 213,000 [1].
Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: An Overview
By resolution 71/258, the General Assembly decided to convene in 2017 a United Nations Conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.
A thorough list of restrictions on engaging in any nuclear weapons-related activities is contained in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Among them are commitments to refrain from creating, testing, producing, acquiring, holding, stockpiling, using, or threatening to use nuclear weapons. The treaty also forbids the use of nuclear weapons on domestic soil and the giving of support to any State engaged in unlawful activity.
In addition, the treaty requires States parties to take required and suitable steps for environmental remediation in areas within their authority, as well as to offer sufficient aid to those impacted by the use or testing of nuclear weapons. With 122 States voting in favour, one voting against, and one abstaining, the treaty was approved by the Conference in July 2017 and made available for signature in September of the same year. As of July 2024, 70 States were partying to the TPNW, and a further 27 States had signed but not ratified, for a total of 97 States having accepted legally binding duties under international law.[2].
2024 Commemoration for International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: A World United for Peace and Disarmament.
One essential objective that all countries and cultures share is the pursuit of world peace and stability. The goal of achieving the complete abolition of nuclear weapons is essential to this endeavour. This Day serves as an important reminder of our shared need to work for disarmament and the building of a safer global community. The fundamental purpose of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is to highlight how vital it is to work toward nuclear disarmament and stop the spread of nuclear weapons. It provides a forum to draw attention to the severe ramifications of nuclear weapons and the urgent need to eliminate them.
Initiatives for 2024 International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons:
Educational seminars and workshops: People are encouraged to engage in enlightening dialogues led by experts on clear nuclear disarmament, international security, and peace-building.
Advocate for peaceful policies: Urge your national and local leaders and society in general to prioritize disarmament and peaceful initiatives.
Panel Discussions with Diplomats and Activists: Participate in discussions about the significance of international treaties and nuclear disarmament with leaders and activists from around the world.
Online learning resources: Accessing comprehensive materials including documents, articles, and educational modules focused on nuclear disarmament is also encouraged.
Support Disarmament Organisations: It is vital to contribute to the great cause of organizations working tirelessly towards nuclear disarmament, emphasizing the need for unity.
Finally, it is imperative to Educate yourself and others by learning about the importance of nuclear disarmament and sharing the knowledge within your community [3].
Geneva International Center for Justice (GICJ) echoes the General Assembly's call for the urgent commencement of negotiations and efforts to prevent the possession, testing, development, production, transfer, use or stockpiling of nuclear weapons. We further urge States not only to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) but also to take tangible action to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons. Together, let's unite in peace and protect the world and its people from the harmful use of nuclear weapons!
[1]. https://www.un.org/en/observances/nuclear-weapons-elimination-day
[2]. https://disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/nuclear/tpnw/
[3]. https://sdgresources.relx.com/events/international-day-total-elimination-nuclear-weapons-2024
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