Total and universal disarmament has been one of our goals since our start in 1915. This is because we are living in a time when:
- Eight countries still possess over 20,000 nuclear weapons
- Global military expenditures are over 1.7 trillion USD
- Over 2,000 people are killed by arms … every day!
Excessive military expenditure, unregulated arms trade, and the possession of nuclear weapons by eight of the world’s most powerful states are – without doubt – some of the primary impediments to security. We work on disarmament issues to create a robust framework for addressing the challenges of security, including a critique of militarism, over-armament, and the use or threat of use of force.
We believe that disarmament and arms control must always be approached through the lens of international humanitarian law and as an imperative for human rights and human security. The debate must begin to shift away from weapons as tools for “state security” and instead focus on the necessity of human beings to be protected against the impacts of such weapons.
Our international disarmament work is coordinated through our very well-known Reaching Critical Will (RCW) programme.
Reaching Critical Will monitors multilateral disarmament processes and facilitates civil society participation in meetings and conferences. They also produces research studies and reports on key disarmament issues, contributing critical analysis and advocacy for disarmament, reduction of military spending and demilitarisation in order to achieve human security and justice.
WILPF is a steering committee member of the Stop Killer Robots coalition and a member of ICAN UK. Many of our members also support Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) in their own capacity, with some attending the CAAT demonstration at the Arms Fair last September.
Follow updates on The Nuclear Ban Treaty.
UK campaign work:
- Read our letter to Theresa May urging her to ensure diplomatic responses to the Korean crisis. September 2017
- Open letter to Boris Johnson regarding UN nuclear treaty negotiations. March 2017
- Sponsorship of a national lobby of Parliament. 13 July 2016
- Visit to Burghfield bomb factory. 20 June 2016
- Participation in the ICAN Nukes of Hazard campaign that monitors the movement of nuclear convoys throughout the UK. Ongoing.
- Letter to send to MPs regarding possibility of bombing Syria. November 2015
- Ban Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). 9 October 2015