Overview

Global nuclear disarmament remains a top priority for the United Nations, initially emphasized in the General Assembly’s first resolution in 1946. Despite historical efforts, approximately 12,100 nuclear weapons still exist today, with ongoing modernization plans in many countries.

Key Historical Milestones

• 1945: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing an estimated 213,000 people.
• 1946: First UN resolution identifies nuclear disarmament as a key goal.
• 1959: General Assembly endorses the goal of general and complete disarmament.
• 1963: Opening of the Partial Test Ban Treaty.
• 1978: First Special Session of the General Assembly dedicated to disarmament.
• 1996: Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty opens for signature.
• 2017: Adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Recent Developments

• 2019: U.S. withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
• 2023: Russia suspends participation in the New START Treaty, raising concerns over arms control.

The International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

• Established: December 2013, following a high-level meeting on nuclear disarmament.
• Observed: Annually on September 26.
• Purpose: Raise awareness about the dangers of nuclear weapons and promote their total elimination.

Goals of the International Day

• Enhance public education on the humanitarian risks associated with nuclear weapons.
• Mobilize international efforts towards a nuclear-weapon-free world.

Continuing Challenges

• The doctrine of nuclear deterrence remains central to the security policies of nuclear-armed states and their allies.
• No nuclear weapons have been destroyed under a treaty framework, and current disarmament negotiations are stagnant.
• Growing frustration among UN Member States over the slow progress in nuclear disarmament.