Research Guides United Nations Office at Geneva Library & Archives

Nuclear Weapons

Lists UN Organs dealing with disarmament as well as tools to find UN documents

Key UN Documents

UN Documents on Conventions

Global Conventions

Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones Treaties

UN Documents on Specific Topics

Tools to find UN documents

UN Organs

Conference on Disarmament 

It was established in 1979 as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community. Issues: cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament; prevention of nuclear war; prevention of an arms race in outer space; effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons including radiological weapons;

United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs  (UNODA)

The UNODA promotes the goal of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and the strengthening of the disarmament regimes in respect to other weapons of mass destruction, chemical and biological weapons. It also promotes disarmament efforts in the area of  conventional weapons, especially land mines and small arms, which are the weapons of choice in contemporary conflicts. United Nations Disarmament Yearbook - [Website of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests 29 August]

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

The IAEA seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for military purposes. Its inspectors work to verify that safeguarded nuclear material and activities are not used for military purposes. Learn more about IAEA's work in the area of promoting safeguards and verification. Publications: Please find all IAEA documents, reports and publications on the website. Some are in full-text.

1540 Committee

Resolution 1540 (2004) imposes binding obligations on all States to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials.

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research is an autonomous institute within the United Nations and conducts research on disarmament and security with the aim of assisting the international community in their disarmament thinking, decisions and efforts. Through its research projects, publications, small meetings and expert networks, UNIDIR promotes creative thinking and dialogue on the disarmament and security challenges of today and of tomorrow. UNIDIR publications on weapons of mass destruction

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR)

UNSCEAR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1955. Its mandate in the United Nations system is to assess and report levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Governments and organizations throughout the world rely on the Committee's estimates as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures [Publications]

United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)

The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was set up by the General Assembly in 1959 (resolution 1472 (XIV)) to review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space, to devise programmes in this field to be undertaken under United Nations auspices, to encourage continued research and the dissemination of information on outer space matters, and to study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space.

Office of Legal Affairs

United Nations Office of Legal Affairs provides a unified central legal service for the Secretariat, and the principal and other organs of the United Nations, and contributes to the progressive development and codification of international public and trade law.


 

More UN Organs and related entities: Resource guide on disarmament (global issues) - UN  Organs

See also: Negotiations forums, verification institutions, confidence-building measures, export control regimes

Key Resource: United Nations: Disarmament research guide