Reaching Critical Will
The unsustainability of hypocrisy
Every year the team at Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament arm of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom report on all international forums concerned with disarmament. At this time of year they follow the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly which deals with “disarmament, global challenges… »
Security and the human condition
As the United Nations General Assembly continues in New York, the First Committee, which deals with Disarmament and International Security, is listening to national statements. Our friends at Reaching Critical Will, are as ever doing the world a great serivce by live-tweeting and summarising what each country… »
NPT 2018: Focus on what really matters
Another round of preparatory meetings ahead of the 2020 NPT Review Conference kicks off in Geneva tomorrow, Monday 23rd April. The people at Reaching Critical Will are, as always, providing excellent coverage throughout. We republish their first editorial here for the benefit of Pressenza readers. Since states parties to the… »
Last minute drama at nuclear ban treaty talks
And the text goes to translation. High drama unfolded on Wednesday afternoon as debate erupted over the draft treaty’s withdrawal provision. After a full day of states reading their positions on various aspects of the text into the record without anticipation of changing that text, it was surprising—and welcome—to… »
We’re off! to ban nuclear weapons
As talks to ban nuclear weapons through a legally binding treaty restart at the UN in New York, Reaching Critical Will brings us their valuable analysis and insight. It’s game on for round two of the nuclear ban negotiations! Delegations from governments, civil society, and international… »
Vienna nuclear talks: Divergence doesn’t preclude progress
The first round of preparatory meetings came to an end in Vienna on Friday. Reaching Critical Will wrapped up their review of proceedings with these thoughts. By Ray Acheson The final day of the 2017 Preparatory Committee heard much praise for the Chair, Ambassador Henk Cor Van der Kwast… »
Arms racing and the NPT : modernisation of nuclear weapon systems
Another cycle of conferences started this week in Vienna to culminate in a conference to review the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 2020. States Parties and civil-society organisations have exchanged views in the general debate and in a number of side events. Many nations with nuclear weapons, and those… »
17th June: Women’s march and rally to ban the bomb
Call to Action Women Ban the Bomb is a women-led initiative building on the momentum of movements at the forefront of the resistance, including the Women’s March on Washington. It will bring together people of all genders, sexual orientations, ages, races, abilities, nationalities, cultures, faiths, political affiliations and backgrounds to… »
Courage is the crux of the ban treaty
By Ray Acheson. Applause broke out at the beginning of the day when the President of the conference to negotiate a treaty banning nuclear weapons, Ambassador Elayne Whyte of Costa Rica, opened the proceedings. Applause also broke out at the end of the day when she declared the first… »
Ready, steady, go: time to ban the bomb!
By Ray Acheson for Reaching Critical Will. Today we begin negotiations of a treaty banning nuclear weapons. It took incredible determination, creativity, and courage to get here. We have seen decades of activism against the bomb. Endless engagement with nuclear-armed states. The collection of baby teeth. Millions of people marching… »