IPU encourages parliamentarians to join UNFOLD ZERO campaign

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) - a global organisation of 164 member parliaments - renewed its call on parliaments and MPs around the world to promote nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation as a matter of urgency, as it marked today the first ever International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

The International Day aims to enhance public awareness and education on the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity to eliminate them. 

IPU made the call at the UN commemoration event for the day at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, and also in a video-message to its membership by IPU Secretary-General Martin Chungong.

IPU has been working on the issue over the years in an effort to mobilize parliamentary action towards a nuclear-weapon-free world.

In March this year, IPU Members adopted a landmark resolution urging parliaments to work with governments on a range of actions. This includes not using nuclear weapons as deterrents in national defence plans, strengthening the safety of all nuclear materials, consolidating existing nuclear-weapon-free zones and supporting the establishment of new ones.

The IPU resolution also called for support for the start of negotiations on a nuclear weapons convention or a package of agreements to help achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world,  and to use all available tools to monitor national implementation of disarmament commitments.

The resolution was adopted with the consent of parliaments from virtually all of the countries possessing nuclear weapons. It reflected a political will and consensus for change on the issue.

IPU is also encouraging its Members to take part in the UN-led UNFOLD ZERO campaign which promotes the total elimination of nuclear weapons.

There are currently 17,000 nuclear weapons in the world, constituting a grave threat to international peace and security.

See: IPU Press Briefing IPU renews call for parliamentary action on nuclear disarmament