ChildFund Australia is one of 90 organisations calling for Australia to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, as part of the International Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
The organisations have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, warning of the threat nuclear weapons pose and urging the government to take action.
“This is a child protection issue as well as a human rights issue,” Mr Spence said. “Nuclear weapons have the potential to devastate lives – not only during conflict but for decades after, and harm children and communities indiscriminately.
“It is important that we take every possible step to achieve an effective ban on nuclear weapons to protect children now and in the future.”
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons opened for signature at United Nations headquarters in New York on 20 September 2017 and will remain open indefinitely.
It prohibits a range of activities, including undertaking to develop, test, produce, manufacture, acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, as well as the use or threat of use of these weapons. Once 50 nations have ratified or acceded to it, it will enter into force.
The open letter to the Prime Minister is signed by health, union, student, Indigenous, humanitarian, environment and faith organisations from across Australia. It highlights the urgency of disarmament amidst current heightened risks of nuclear conflict.
“The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons provides the necessary vehicle for nations to walk away from these unacceptable, and now illegal, weapons,” ICAN founder Tilman Ruff said.
“Australia has signed the treaties banning chemical and biological weapons, landmines and cluster munitions. It’s time to take genuine action against these weapons by signing and ratifying the ban treaty.”
The International Coalition to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was founded in Australia in 2007 and was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2017.
Click here to read the open letter to the Prime Minister.
BRISBANE, 16 JUNE 2017: Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop has today announced the launch of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), which brings together six consortia of Australia’s leading international aid organisations to respond to humanitarian disasters, with a specific focus on the Pacific.
ChildFund Australia will partner with Plan Australia, CBM Australia, AVI, ActionAid and International Medical Corps (IMC) to provide emergency assistance in the Pacific, and implement programs which increase community disaster preparedness.
Minister Bishop said at the launch: “I saw the positive impact NGOs make when I visited Vanuatu and Fiji following devastating cyclones in 2015 and 2016. They were helping to rebuild markets and infrastructure, restore livelihoods, and get children back to school.”
“Building on the NGOs’ extensive regional networks, we will help to ensure Pacific nations are more resilient to disasters, and can more quickly rebuild and return peoples’ lives to normal.”
This consortium partnership approach will result in improved coordination, sharing of resources and technical expertise, and improve the reach, impact and effectiveness of emergency response.
ChildFund Australia CEO Nigel Spence said: “Aid agencies like ChildFund Australia have extensive local networks and strong relationships at a grassroots level. By working in collaboration with other organisations in our sector we can combine our strengths and reach to build community resilience, strengthen disaster preparedness and respond more effectively during humanitarian emergencies.”
“In particular, by partnering with Plan Australia, we can give greater priority to the wellbeing of children who are the most vulnerable members of a community and most at risk when disaster strikes.”
Mr Spence added: “When a crisis occurs during a child’s formative years, it can negatively impact their social, cognitive, emotional and physical development. Children’s survival, development, education and long term futures can be put in jeopardy. We can help to prevent or mitigate against the worst of these effects.”
CBM Australia will provide expert guidance and advice on disability inclusive emergency response and resilience building work to the consortium.
The AHP is a five-year strategy, and will mainly focus on delivering aid to countries in the Pacific. To date, the Government has allocated 50m of funding to the AHP, with 22 Australian aid agencies making up the six partner consortia.
