An international treaty to ban nuclear weapons, which was supported by CRA and other faith groups, will come into force after reaching the required 50 signatories, despite Australia having so far failed to sign on.
On October 24, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons reached the required 50 states parties for its entry into force, after Honduras ratified just one day after Jamaica and Nauru submitted their ratifications. In 90 days, the treaty will enter into force, cementing a categorical ban on nuclear weapons, 75 years after their first use.
Campaigners for the international treaty to ban nuclear weapons celebrate its adoption. Photo: ICAN, Aude Catimel.
Prior to the treaty’s adoption, nuclear weapons were the only weapons of mass destruction not banned under international law, despite their catastrophic humanitarian consequences.
ICAN’s Executive Director Beatrice Fihn welcomed the historic moment.
“This is a new chapter for nuclear disarmament. Decades of activism have achieved what many said was impossible: nuclear weapons are banned," she said.
Setsuko Thurlow, survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, said “I have committed my life to the abolition of nuclear weapons. I have nothing but gratitude for all who have worked for the success of our treaty”.
As a long-time and iconic ICAN activist who has spent decades sharing the story of the horrors she faced to raise awareness on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons this moment held particular significance.
“This is the first time in international law that we have been so recognised. We share this recognition with other hibakusha across the world, those who have suffered radioactive harm from nuclear testing, from uranium mining, from secret experimentation.” Survivors of atomic use and testing all over the world have joined Setsuko in celebrating this milestone.
In 2017, Australia’s Religious joined other faith and community organisations in supporting an open letter to then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, calling for the Australian Government to sign a treaty to ban nuclear weapons.
Catholic Religious Australia and more than 50 other faith groups, including religious congregations, signed an open letter in solidarity with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICANW) in October, urging the Government to act. The Australian Government is yet to sign the treaty.
Among those welcoming the ratification of the treaty were the Missionary Sisters of Service, who are urging people to continue lobbying the Australian Government to sign on to the treaty. Read more here.
This article was drawn from an article published on the ICAN website, and includes material from a 2017 CRA media release.