International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons awarded with Nobel Peace Prize 2017

The Norwegian Nobel Committee on 6 October 2017 awarded the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).

ICAN was awarded for its work 'to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons'.

Nuclear weapons are much destructive, but have not yet been made the object of international legal prohibition. Through its work, ICAN has helped to fill this legal gap.

About International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
• ICAN is a coalition of non-governmental organizations from around 100 different countries around the globe.
• The coalition has been a driving force in prevailing upon the world’s nations to pledge to cooperate with all relevant stakeholders to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons.
• Till date, 108 states have made a commitment to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons known as the 'Humanitarian Pledge'.
• ICAN has been the leading civil society actor in the endeavour to achieve a prohibition of nuclear weapons under international law.

The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize 2017 to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons has its roots in Alfred Nobel’s will.

The will specifies three different criteria for awarding the Nobel Peace Prize- promotion of fraternity between nations; the advancement of disarmament and arms control; and the holding and promotion of peace congresses. ICAN works vigorously to achieve nuclear disarmament.