2017 Nobel Peace Prize

•  International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, a nuclear disarmament group, has won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

What is ICAN?

• ICAN describes itself as a coalition of non-governmental organisations in 100 countries promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty.
• It has advocated at the United Nations and in parliaments around the world, bringing the stories of those impacted by nuclear testing and survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings to a world stage.
• ICAN was launched in Vienna, Austria in April 2007 during the Non-Proliferation Treaty preparatory committee meeting.
• Since its inception, ICAN has partnered with 468 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 101 countries. It has three partner-organizations each in India – Indian Doctors for Peace and Development; Indian Institute for Peace, Disarmament and Environmental Protection; and Popular Education and Action Centre – and in Pakistan – Community Motivation & Development Organization; Pakistan Doctors for Peace and Development; and Alliance for Peace and Disability Rights (APDR).

Acheivements:

• The organisation is receiving the award for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition on such weapons.
• We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time.
• Some states are modernising their nuclear arsenals and there is a real danger that more countries will try to procure nuclear weapons, as exemplified by North Korea. Nuclear weapons pose a constant threat to humanity and to life on Earth.
• Efforts of this organization culminated in the passing of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) in July this year.
• The treaty, which “prohibits the development, testing, production, manufacture, acquisition, possession, stockpiling, transfer, use, and threatened use of nuclear weapons”, will come into effect once it is ratified by 50 member states of the United Nations.

By: Vishal