THE NUCLEAR TRUTH PROJECT & THE TPNW

Nuclear Ban

In 2017, 122 countries adopted the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). 

This groundbreaking, global project joined together diplomats, activists, academics and civil society organizations. The strength of affected community members' stories played a crucial role in the nuclear ban advocacy.

The Treaty reframed the story about nuclear disarmament by focussing on humanitarian impacts.

It moved debate away from the doctrine of ‘military deterrence’ - developed during the Cold War - and which falsely relies on managing nuclear aggression by amassing weapons as a threat. 

Instead of focusing on ‘national security’, the Treaty concentrates on the humanitarian and environmental effects of nuclear weapons, including all activities of the nuclear bomb project.  

It is this humanitarian focus that is at the heart of the Nuclear Truth Project: advocacy and support for those who have suffered disproportionately through nuclear use, threat of use, development, production and testing.

We seek to uplift engagement with these communities, who share the goals of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We recognise  the importance of  their lived experience expertise.

The Treaty builds understanding of several key issues, highlighting:

• “the unacceptable suffering of and the harm caused to the victims of the use of nuclear weapons (hibakusha), as well as of those affected by the testing of nuclear weapons.”  
• “disproportionate impact of nuclear weapon activities on Indigenous [P]eoples” as well as the “disproportionate impact on women and girls”.
• clear positive obligations for victims assistance and environmental remediation for those Peoples and places impacted by nuclear weapons use and testing through Articles 6 & 7 of the Treaty.  This offers many affected communities the expectation that they will achieve a seat at the table in redressing radioactive violence. 

To effectively implement the Treaty, the Nuclear Truth Project advocates for building good relations with, within or alongside those frontline community members who bear the brunt of the nuclear age.

This is especially important to ensure greater burdens are not imposed on them while seeking to access or provide assistance and environmental remediation. 

Uplifting the work and voices of impacted communities calling for nuclear abolition has been the focus of our work.

The Nuclear Truth Project has engaged in all three foundational Meetings of States Parties for the TPNW (in 2022 in Vienna, 2023 in New York and 2025 in New York). 

We look forward to joining the international community (particularly representatives of affected communities) at the first Review Conference for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, scheduled for November 2026 at the United Nations.