Civil Society Calls on UN Disarmament Committee to Stop Nuclear Weapons

Social Media Action - Stop Nuclear Weapons: Peace is in our Hands

Last Friday October 17, at a special plenary meeting of the UN First Committee – the UN

General Assembly’s main body dealing with Disarmament and International Security - UN

Member States were urged to stand down nuclear forces, pledge to never initiate a nuclear war, end the $100billion per year nuclear arms race and commit to achieving the global elimination of nuclear weapons no later than the 100th anniversary of the United Nations (2045). 

The call came in a speech to the First Committee by Dr. Deepshikha Kumari Vijh, Executive

Director Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy and Core Team Member of NuclearAbolitionDay.org. All UN Member States are members of the Committee, which meets for the month of October every year to discuss disarmament issues and resolutions for adoption by the UN General Assembly. (See also UNGA First Committee statements, resolutions and events). 

Dr Vijh used this opportunity to present the Nuclear Abolition Day Appeal to the UN Members. The Appeal has been endorsed by over 600 organizations and more than 1200 additional individuals from 99 countries, including Nobel Laureates, former high level officials (foreign ministers, UN Officials...), parliamentarians, local body representatives, other political leaders, academics/scientists, religious leaders, medical professionals, youth leaders, educators, business leaders, artists and other members of civil society.

In her statement to the First Committee, Dr Vijh emphasized that UN Member States have legal obligations to end nuclear threats including the reliance on nuclear deterrence, and to achieve the global elimination of nuclear weapons within a reasonable timeframe. 

"The International Court of Justice in its 1996 Advisory Opinion, affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the principles and rules of international humanitarian law — in particular the principles of distinction, proportionality, and unnecessary suffering," she reminded the governments.

"The Court also affirmed that there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control. This obligation, restated in Article VI of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty, is not aspirational — it is legally binding." 

"As the First Committee convenes its 80th session, we are reminded that law, not force, must be the foundation of security," concluded Dr Vijh.

Quotes from some of the endorsers of the Appeal presented to the UN

(See more at NuclearAbolitionDay quotes from endorsers)

“Nuclear weapons are a hazard for all of humanity and therefore should be dismantled and

abolished altogether from the face of our earth our planet our home.”

Ela Gandhi (South Africa). Chairperson of Gandhi Development Trust, CoPresident, Religions

for Peace. Granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi

“Global nuclear testing has enabled the manufacture of weapons systems involving the planned death of hundreds of millions of human beings. It has also directly caused the deaths of nearly 2.5 million people living near test sites and led to radioactive fallout on a global scale... We must strongly denounce the nuclear arms race in which nuclear-armed countries and their allies are engaged.”

General Bernard Norlain (France). Former Air Defence Commander and Air Combat

Commander of the French Air Force

"Let us all build friendship and peace among nations, abolish genocidal nuclear weapons and give hope to Humanity."

Mairead Corrigan Maguire (Ireland). Nobel Peace Laureate 1976

“With rampant violence and trigger-happy leaders in the world today, nuclear armament is a

huge risk and a total disregard for the people and the planet.”

Nnimmo Bassey (Uganda). Director, Heath of Mother Earth Foundation. TIME magazine Hero of the Environment, 2009. Right Livelihood Award ('Alternate Nobel Prize'), 2010.

“A world free from nuclear weapons is in our hand and there for is our shared responsibility.”

Sharon Dolev (Israel). Executive Director, Middle East Treaty Organization

“Nuclear war is not an option and those using the nuclear thread, should be removed from

power immediately, by their population. Real democracy and compromise is the only viable

solution to conflicts, worldwide.”

Professor Morten Meldal (Denmark). Professor of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen.

Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2022

“People of world don’t want to see an another nuclear disaster.”

Saeed Baloch (Pakistan). General Secretary, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum

“One press - millions of horror. Do we really want it?”

Daria Platushchikhina (Russia). Student, Higher School of Economics. Member, Pact for a

Sustainable Tomorrow

“Our greater voice is tantamount to raising awareness and making a difference.”

Diana Barragan (Switzerland). President. The International Federation of Business and

Professional Women

“How's that nuclear umbrella working for you?”

Robert Richard (USA). Secretary, Spokane Veterans For Peace #035

“Across Montana there are hundreds of nuclear missile silos and launch facilities, making us the"nuclear sponge" meant to absorb direct hits in the event that diplomacy breaks down, or a mistake is made, and missiles are launched. Every day we live under the direct threat of

immediate annihilation because politicians won't think farther ahead than the next election. We need to eliminate nuclear weapons globally because 'deterrence' isn't working, and rogue actors are gaining new access to political power. Calmer heads no longer prevail. Eliminate nuclear weapons.”

Jasmine Krotkov (USA). Former Representative, Montana State Legislature

“We must not fail to pass this global intelligence test.”

Petra Bayr MP (Austria). Member of the National Assembly of Austria. Board member of

Parliamentarians for Global Action. Governing Council Member, Association of European

Parliamentarians with Africa.

“The nuclear weapons will annihilate all of us if we do not abolish them.”

Maureen Hearn (USA). Registered Nurse, Military Families Speak Out

“The money spent on nuclear weapons and war is money that could solve all of humanity's

challenges, if only our political leaders would recognize that we all share one beautiful planet.”

Beth Blissman (USA). United Nations Representative, Loretto/BVM Community at the UN

"I urge global leaders to honor the September 26 International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. Let’s commit to a nuclear-free world by 2045, redirecting resources to peace, climate action, and human needs."

Erick Githaiga (Kenya). Resident Ambassador for Future Generations. Foresight Practitioner,

Partnerships for Future Generations in Africa

“To even consider nuclear war is to abandon our humanity. It is the ultimate failure of

imagination, diplomacy, and our duty to protect life itself. There can be no victory in a war that ends the world for everyone.”

Victoria Ustimenko (USA). CEO & Founder. PRETO Business Corp.

“The risk of even accidental nuclear war is too high for humanity to take, especially in the era of AI. If AI were there instead of Colonel Petrov in 1983, most probably we would not be here today. Agree and start nuclear disarmament now!”

Georgios Kostakos (Belgium). Former UN Secretariat official. Co-Founder and Executive

Director, Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability (FOGGS)

“Let's get the concern for this existential threat to humanity out there!”

Bill Tiwald (USA). Secretary, Donald and Sally-Alice Thompson Chapter of Veterans For Peace

“The Marshall Islands still suffers today from the effects of nuclear testing that has had lasting intergenerational impacts on our land, health, and cultures. As youth and students, we advocate for the elimination of nuclear weapons to safeguard our future."

Deborah Schutz (Marshall Islands). President of Marshall Islands Students Association

“As People of conscience from all faiths, we stand together to support the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons from our shared home, Mother Earth.”

Philippa Rowland (Australia). Chair of Religions for Peace Australia

“Peace begins when we choose hope and dialogue over fear and nuclear threats.”

Masako Toki (USA). Senior Project Manager/Research Associate for Nuclear Disarmament

Education, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies

“Peace doesn’t fall from the sky like a missile. Peace starts in our heads.”

Suzanne Glaner (France). Psycho-pedagogical artist and teacher, Union Pacifiste France (War

Resisters International)

“If we are entering an era of more wars, we need to make sure no leader has the option of

burning the whole world down.”

Jane Kinninmont (UK). Chief executive, United Nations Association - UK

“Global military spending is soaring, fuelling a new arms race and placing immense pressure on national budgets. At the same time progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—the world's blueprint for a more equitable future—is falling short, including for a lack of financing. Spending less on nuclear weapons will make the world safer and mean we have the funds to invest in improving health, education and livelihoods. A true win-win!”

Joseph Nhan-O'Reilly (UK). Founder & Executive Director, International Parliamentary

for Education

“Nuclear abolition is not just about disarmament—it is about safeguarding humanity, peace, and our planet.”

Hani Chaar (Switzerland). Vice-President, e-Peace Switzerland

“We must learn to cooperate more than we compete.”

Gregory Corning (USA). President of Veterans For Peace Joan Duffy chapter, Santa Fe NM

“Nuclear weapons pose a very real threat to the survival of the human race and if used will

cause untold suffering. We must push for their abolition.”

Luke Fletcher MP (Wales). Member of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament)

“The human brain is our most powerful weapon. The weaker the courage and wisdom, the

greater the hunger for mass destruction. Be human—not a coward armed with catastrophe.”

Zurab Bezhanishvili (Georgia). President, International Community for Georgia Development

and the Progress

“Peace and sustainability will be attained globally if there are no threats of nuclear weapons. We need to work relentlessly with all the countries and all communities.”

Dipal Barua (Bangladesh). Founder & Chairman. Bright Green Energy Foundation. Right

Livelihood Laureate 2007

“With the dangers of nuclear war increasingly comparable to the Cuban Missile Crisis, and with growing pressures for nuclear weapons proliferation, we are in urgent need of nuclear arms control and disarmament diplomacy. As the Hibakusha teach us,"Nuclear weapons and human beings cannot coexist." For species survival, we must eliminate nuclear weapons.”

Joseph Gerson (USA). President, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament: Member, Nihon

Hidankyo Nobel Peace Prize Delegation

“Nuclear weapons programs are vast criminal conspiracies to commit indiscriminate massacres with firestorms and radiation. Nothing said in support of them should be believed.”

John LaForge (USA). Co-Director, NukeWatch

“Nuclear Abolition Day underscores the urgent need to pull the world back from the brink at this dangerous moment. Whether they are land-based or space-based, there is no place for nuclear weapons in a positive future for humanity.”

Edward Jackson (Canada). Chair, Group of 78

“There are a number of pathways to reaching the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. But the nuclear-armed States and their allies must commit to ending reliance on the ever-more-dangerous doctrine of nuclear deterrence – the threatened use of nuclear weapons – as the basis for their national security. They could do this by negotiating a comprehensive and inclusive nuclear-weapons-convention similar to the Chemical Weapons Convention. Or they could start with a framework agreement on nuclear disarmament and fill in the details of the implementation mechanisms later. Or they could negotiate protocols that would enable them to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Under any of these pathways, the elimination of nuclear weapons no later than 2045 is imperative and is feasible. We urge individuals and organizations to endorse our Joint Appeal to governments to make this happen."

Jackie Cabasso (USA). Executive Director of Western States Legal Foundation

“There is a stark dissonance between the rapid ticking of the Doomsday Clock closer than ever to midnight and the number of nuclear armed and allied States engaged in armed conflict with a retreat in the collective conscience and consciousness of the existential threat posed by nuclear weapons. Our joint actions in New York aim to close this gap – especially for younger generations for whom the specter of nuclear war may not be felt as acutely.”

Rebecca Shoot (USA). Co-Convener of the ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International

Judicial Institutions

“As Christians we cannot sit back with our fingers crossed and hope that things get better. Our faith impels us to stand up for what is right - and nuclear abolition is right!”

Martin Tiller (UK). Co-Chair, Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament