Talking Protocols
TALKING PROTOCOLS REPORT
Talking Protocols is a report and an evaluation on the findings of consultations with affected communities and individuals on the Nuclear Truth Project Protocols (July 2023)
This report from the Nuclear Truth Project (NTP) shares the process of the development of Protocols for working with affected communities.
The NTP began in 2021 working with a small group of affected community members and organisational leaders from a diverse range of international groups, to discuss challenges when working within, alongside or for communities and individuals impacted by nuclear harms.
With an increase in recognition of the centrality of affected communities, advocates for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and members of nuclear impacted communities were noting significant increases in demands on lived experience expertise. The NTP identified a need to establish Protocols to ensure any consultations and asks of affected communities were being practiced in good faith and with a ‘do no harm’ approach to engagement.
Over a period of eight months involving consensus-based discussions, a working group of frontline affected peoples and allies developed a draft set of Protocols. These were launched in June 2022 at the First Meeting of States Parties, and then underwent a year-long process of community review by the Nuclear Truth Project.
A number of different methods were used to engage people in this review:
- An online survey (open for one year) with 11 questions
- NTP coordinators and facilitators sought one-on-one interviews
- Regional facilitators conducted community consultations or conversations involving people from affected communities and allied activists in three regions – the USA, Australia and the Pacific.
The regional facilitators were all from affected communities themselves, many of whom were seeking these conversations with Elders and others intergenerationally. This took significant courage and skill, and the NTP is grateful for the efforts of all the facilitators who worked to make this possible.
We are especially grateful for the generosity of affected community members who offered feedback, advice and lived experience expertise to develop and shape these Protocols. Additionally, the Protocols continue to be shared globally with allied activists, anti-nuclear groups, media, and concerned individuals to gauge their usability.
The results of the feedback in these regional conversations is now offered to our communities, allies and partners in this report, with story and statistics, heart and analysis.
WHY WE WROTE THE REPORT
This report from the Nuclear Truth Project is a deep discussion on how affected communities, researchers, civil society and governments interact with nuclear archives.
Pacific scholar, Marco de Jong, was lead author on the report. Alongside the NTP Coordinators and Pacific journalist Nic Maclellan and US reference librarian, Carla Cantagallo, the team worked to produce the Challenging Nuclear Secrecy report, which was launched globally on 7 August 2023. The project engaged with around 18 researchers, activists and affected community Peoples who have experience with nuclear archives.
Our report highlights the limitations of nuclear secrecy, and explores issues related to privileged and tiered access. It also invites inquiry into what it will take for affected communities to be at the centre of work to implement Article 6 and 7 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons at the next Meetings of State Parties and beyond.
In November 2023, the Nuclear Truth Project submitted a Working Paper to the United Nations Second Meeting of States Parties (2MSP) to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which highlighted the calls and findings of this report. You can find the Working Paper here.
- WATCH the report launch webinar from August 2023
- Inquire about the list of USA archive resources by co-author Carla Cantagallo
- Inquire about the list of French archive resources by co-author Nic Maclellan
Photo: Nuclear Truth Project side event on the Challenging Nuclear Secrecy report with (left to right): Dimity Hawkins, Hinamoeura Morgant-Cross, Petuuche Gilbert, Karina Lester, Pam Kingfisher, Bedi Racule, Benetick Kabua Maddison (not pictured, was our other panellist Jean-Marie Collin).
