Civil society plays a vital role in intergovernmental deliberations, and the United Nations fully acknowledges the contributions of non-governmental actors to disarmament and non-proliferation. The role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the United Nations is explicitly recognized in Article 71 of the United Nations Charter. That recognition stems from their involvement in the 1945 San Francisco conference that established the Organization. Over 2,500 representatives of various societies and organizations participated, with some playing a crucial role in drafting the Charter’s opening words, “We the peoples of the United Nations…”

The role of civil society in disarmament

Civil society raises awareness and captures the public conscience to advance disarmament and non-proliferation initiatives. Its work has been instrumental in key areas, including efforts to end atmospheric nuclear weapons testing, ban anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions, and regulate the international trade in conventional arms.

In a notable example of civil society’s impact, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) received the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize for its contributions towards the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Now a network of more than 650 NGOs in 110 countries, ICAN has pursued ongoing advocacy that proved essential to the Treaty’s entry into force in 2021.

Recent developments and future directions

Looking to the future, the United Nations is committed to expanding the role of civil society in disarmament processes. In his 2018 Agenda for Disarmament, the Secretary-General pledged to work with Member States to achieve greater integration of experts, industry and civil society representatives in the meetings of all United Nations disarmament bodies.

In his 2023 policy brief on A New Agenda for Peace, the United Nations Secretary-General highlighted the crucial role of civil society in advancing “people-centred approaches” to sustaining peace: “Civil society actors, including women human rights defenders and women peacebuilders, play a crucial role in building trust in societies, by representing the most vulnerable or marginalized and those often unrepresented in political structures.”

The role of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs

On behalf of the Secretary-General, the Office for Disarmament Affairs works in close partnership with NGOs to advance the cause of general and complete disarmament under effective international control. It collaborates with civil society and academic institutions in several areas, including:

• Implementing projects and programmatic activities overseen by the Office globally and at the regional level
• Organizing consultative meetings to ensure effective cooperation between the Office and civil society
• Facilitating NGO participation in and access to intergovernmental meetings via online accreditation and registration, administered in accordance with consultative arrangements made by the Economic and Social Council, or with the rules of the procedure of the meeting in question
• Arranging for presentations by civil society representatives when they are invited to address intergovernmental and other meetings
• Facilitating NGO side events and exhibits at United Nations Headquarters during disarmament-related meetings
• Organizing seminars, film screenings and exhibitions with NGO sponsors
• Providing a platform for disarmament-related NGO materials through the Office’s Disarmament Education website
• Working on disarmament education and outreach projects with numerous NGOs, including Mayors for Peace, Nihon Hidankyo and Peace Boat
• Coordinating production of an NGO publication series, “Civil Society and Disarmament”

Coordinators 

The Office for Disarmament Affairs works with the following coordinators on civil society-related matters, including the facilitation of NGO statements to disarmament-related conferences at the United Nations:

• For meetings concerning weapons of mass destruction or emerging technologies: Ray Acheson, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
• For meetings concerning conventional weapons issues: Ms. Elli Kytomaki, International Action Network on Small Arms