International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Australia

Nuclear weapons remain an urgent, growing crisis. From the unresolved contamination of First Nations lands to rising global tensions, their threat looms large over our collective future. With major powers actively expanding and upgrading their nuclear arsenals, the danger of nuclear conflict is higher today than at any point in recent history.

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) is a global coalition of civil society groups working for a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons, where human lives and ecosystems are protected from catastrophic nuclear harm.

Established in 2007 in Australia, ICAN campaigned for a global treaty leading to the UN adopting the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons which now has over half the world’s countries as signatories. ICAN was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2017 for this work and is the only Australian organisation to receive this recognition.

ICAN Australia drives national advocacy to build public and political support for the elimination of nuclear weapons and for Australia to sign and ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  They also advocate for long-overdue assistance for survivor communities and environmental remediation for areas affected by historical nuclear testing.

Supporting ICAN Australia means backing a movement that centres the lived experiences and truth-telling of First Nations and Pacific survivor communities affected by nuclear testing, ensuring their voices guide political and public discourse. By bridging grassroots engagement with high-level UN diplomacy, ICAN has a proven track record of translating community advocacy into systemic policy change and growing pressure for nuclear disarmament. ICAN Australia’s current priorities focus on amplifying Pacific leadership in discussions around defence pacts with Australia, ensuring regional commitments to a nuclear-free Pacific remain front and centre. In parallel, ICAN is preparing for the first Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference in late 2026, where they will elevate the lived experiences of First Nations peoples, nuclear veterans and Pacific communities on the global stage. Bringing these lived experiences to the world stage exposes the ongoing human and environmental toll of nuclear testing and serves as a powerful tool to hold the Australian Government accountable to its commitment to join the Treaty.

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