NUCLEAR LEXICON The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was born in 1968 out of mounting global concerns over the spread of nuclear weapons from 1945 into the mid 1960s. Under the Treaty, non-nuclear weapon States are forbidden to manufacture, possess or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons in exchange for the right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, including power generation as well as medical and industrial applications. The NPT remains the only legally binding commitment to achieving a world without nuclear weapons. Every five years the Treaty is “reviewed” and progress on disarmament is assessed by States parties to the NPT. The next NPT Review Conference will provide excellent opportunities for students to get informed and get involved.
AC T ION FOR DIS A RM A MENT: 10 T H INGS YOU C A N DO
UN body. It is the world’s single multilateral forum for negotiating disarmament treaties. It was in the CD that the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Comprehensive Nuclear-TestBan Treaty (www.ctbto.org) were concluded. It is linked to the UN through a personal representative of the UN SecretaryGeneral. Its meetings are also supported by the UN financially. In New York and Geneva, the Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) promotes: nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation; disarmament of other weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological weapons; and combatting the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. It is responsible for implementing the decisions of the General Assembly on matters concerning disarmament. It fosters dialogue, transparency and confidence-building measures and encourages regional disarmament efforts. It also coordinates the disarmament-related work of other parts of the UN system. It supports education, research, conferences on disarmament, and engages with the public at large through publications and an interactive and informative website (www.un.org/disarmament). The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (www.iaea.org) was founded in 1957 to promote the
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