This publication examines the key role of parliamentary diplomacy in foreign affairs focusing specifically on its influence in the field of disarmament. It analyses the impact parliamentarians can have on these issues identifying a number of good practices and effective strategies. In addition it offers specific policy recommendations and highlights resources available to strengthen the capacity of parliaments and other stakeholders to enhance and expand their influence in promoting effective disarmament agreements at the international level.

This edition of Civil Society and Disarmament explores recent work by the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) in support of legal instruments on the misuse diversion and illicit proliferation of small arms light weapons and their ammunition. IANSA a global civil society network comprising hundreds of member organizations has advocated both for effective implementation of these instruments and for their development as living – not static – documents.

The nascent movement to enact a nuclear ban treaty has reframed the problem of nuclear weapons from defense strategies to the issues of humanitarian and environmental consequences. This volume of Civil Society Engagement in Disarmament Processes presents a case for the nuclear ban treaty as a vital first step in nuclear weapons’ ultimate abolition.

This publication contains the statements by representatives of non-governmental organizations that were delivered from 14 to 23 May 2013 during the informal thematic discussions at the meeting held in Geneva of the Open-ended Working Group to develop proposals to take forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations for the achievement and maintenance of a world without nuclear weapons.