Meeting of NGO CSW Vienna and NGO CSD Vienna – information received from WILPF Austria
On the initiative of and together with NGO committees of the United Nations in Vienna, WILPF Austria is organizing a discussion on the topic of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and its implementation on February 22 from 3 – 4:30 p.m.
Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction and threaten humanity and the planet. Austria has ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons, but we are one of the few countries in the EU. There is still a lot of work to be done to achieve the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world and even if it seems utopian, we must not give up! WILPF, with its disarmament division, is Reaching Critical Will (Disarmament Fora (reachingcriticalwill.org) We are very active in disarmament work and we are part of the international campaign ICAN (International Campaign against Nuclear Weapons), which received the Nobel Prize in 2017.
When: Thursday February 22, 2024 3pm – 4:30pm
‘Where: HausWirtschaft, Bruno-Marek-Allee 5, 1020 Wien, and hybrid
The discussions at this meeting, as well as the declaration and decisions adopted by states parties, show a firm commitment to advancing work to stigmatize and eliminate nuclear weapons. There is much to be done for the achievement of nuclear abolition, and the obstacles can sometimes feel unsurmountable, especially amidst rampant nuclear weapon modernisation, abrogation of arms control treaties, and threats of use. But there is another way, another world, that is actively being built by the TPNW community. The second meeting of state parties adopted several further steps to reach the long-term goal of a nuclear free world.
The Treaty’s gender perspective inspires other disarmament instruments and processes and the integration of the work on disarmament with the women’s peace and security agenda and other areas such as the SDGs, human rights and development are important ways forward in reaching the goals of global justice and peace.
Questions raised in the discussion might be: What are the perspectives for the next steps in implementing the treaty? What role is the diplomacy in Austria playing in it and what are steps to be taken until the third meeting of the state parties? What are main challenges and obstacles and how can they be overcome (i.e. the resistance of NATO countries to sign and ratify the treaty)? What is the role of of cross-regional coalitions in implementing the treaty? Why are feminist perspectives important for nuclear disarmament and disarmament in general? How can synergies between the WPS agenda and the disarmament agenda be strengthened?
Speakers:
Alexander Kmentt Ambassador, Director of the Disarmament, Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Department of the Austrian Foreign Ministry (online participation confirmed)
Renata H. Dalaqua Head of the Gender and Disarmament Programme of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) (confirmed)
Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova Director of the International Organizations and Non-Proliferation Program of the Vienna Centre for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP) (requested)
Rebecca Jovin Chief of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) at Vienna requested)
Fabian Hämmerle ICAN Austria (confirmed)
Rosa Logar WILPF Austria (confirmed)
Facilitator: Anna Alvazzi del Frate Kennis: Knowledge for Safety and Good Governance, Vice-Chair of The Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Evelyn Dürmayer Ingeborg Geyer
Chair NGO CSW Chair NGO CSD
The event will be held in ENGLISH and hybrid. Please let us know when you register how you plan to participate. Registration for in person attendance or request of a zoom link: please send an e-mail latest 20/02/2024 to: inge.geyer@outlook.com