UN/Global Issues


Peace & Security Through Disarmament

Offered by:

United Nations Department of Disarmament Affairs
Global Education Motivators

When Offered: February-May, 2001

Format: Three part interactive video conference module from the United Nations for secondary school students.

Language: English

Cost: $100 (support materials for the classes will be sent upon registration)

Class One

Title: Building Security Through Disarmament Instructor: Tsutomo Kono, Senior
Political Affairs Officer, UN/DDA

The UN Charter was signed before the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and makes no reference to weapons of mass destruction. It did, however, assign duties to the Security Council and the General Assembly in regard to the regulation of armaments. We will explore how the UN handles disarmament issues and how individual countries perceive their own security.

  1. What is the structure and functioning of Disarmament at the UN?
  2. How did Disarmament evolve during the Cold War?
  3. Has Disarmament changed substantially after the fall of the Berlin Wall?
  4. What are the Disarmament issues that concern the 189 UN members today?
  5. How do they agree or disagree on politically sensitive topics such as type of weapons?
  6. How is it decided as to how many weapons are needed for the security and defense of a country?

Class Two

Title: Terrorized for Our Own Good: Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Weapons

Instructor: Randy Rydell, Senior Political Affairs Officer, UN/DDA

The cumulative destructive power of nuclear weapons reached astronomical heights during the Cold War. From 70,000 nuclear weapons, each many times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, there are now some 30,000 such weapons left, many still on hair-trigger alert.

  1. What rationales do the five recognized nuclear-weapon States give to maintain a reliance on these weapons of mass destruction?
  2. Do these five countries intend to use their nuclear weapons?
  3. What are the key obstacles to the elimination of these nuclear weapons?
  4. Has the nuclear-test ban stopped nuclear tests?
  5. Why do India and Pakistan want to join the nuclear club?
  6. How does Israel justify its capability?
  7. There are international agreements to ban chemical and biological weapons. How are they doing?

Class Three

Title: The Arms Trade is Thriving: Does Disarmament Make a Difference?

Instructor: Nazir Kamal, Political Affairs Officer, UN/DDA

Recent reports indicate that global military budgets are increasing and the trade in conventional weapons is rising. About half of the UN membership is reporting their arms imports and exports of major weapons systems to the UN, to each other, and to the world.

  1. Does it help to have countries report their arms trade?
  2. Nearly 40% of the small arms and light weapons trade in the world is illegal. Is the UN responding to this crisis?
  3. Since the adoption of the Mine Ban Convention, authoritative sources say the number of casualties is decreasing. Is the worst over, or does more need to be done?


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