International Meeting on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation

September 1, 2026

United Nations Headquarters, New York

On September 1, 2026, the United Nations convened the first-ever International Meeting on Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting brought together UN Member States, representatives of affected communities, civil society organizations, scientists, academics, and other experts to address the humanitarian and environmental consequences of the use and testing of nuclear weapons.

Mandated by UN General Assembly resolution 79/60 and sponsored by the Republics of Kazakhstan and Kiribati, the meeting focused on the needs of communities and environments affected by nuclear weapons and on approaches to victim assistance and environmental remediation. Representatives of affected communities shared their experiences directly with governments and called for meaningful action to address harms that continue generations after nuclear weapons use and testing.

The Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF) served as a Civil Society Coordinator for the meeting, helping to facilitate the participation of affected communities and civil society, and working to ensure that their perspectives informed the meeting and its outcomes.

The meeting opened with remarks from UN Under-Secretary-General Izumi Nakamitsu, Masako Wada of Nihon Hidankyo, and Kazakh artist and anti-nuclear weapons activist Karipbek Kuyukov, who highlighted the lasting human and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing. The Co-Chairs, Kazakhstan and Kiribati, called for affected communities to remain at the center of the discussion and for the meeting to produce practical recommendations on victim assistance, environmental remediation, and international cooperation.

Member States shared national perspectives and experiences related to the humanitarian and environmental consequences of nuclear weapons use and testing, and discussed the importance of addressing their lasting effects.

Representatives of affected communities described the continuing health, environmental, social, and intergenerational effects of nuclear weapons activities. Speakers called for measures including long-term health care and monitoring, compensation and recognition, environmental remediation, access to scientific and historical information, and a meaningful role for affected communities in research and decisions about assistance.

Civil society organizations and academics presented insights and suggestions for victim assistance and environmental remediation, including but not limited to calls for independent and transparent scientific research, greater access to nuclear testing records and environmental data, long-term medical and psychosocial support, stronger inclusion of affected communities in decision-making, and international funding and cooperation, including proposals for an international trust fund.

The panel brought together an affected community representative and experts in public health, humanitarian law, radiation science, and nuclear justice. Panelists shared experiences and research related to victim assistance and environmental remediation before responding to questions and comments from participants.

The Co-Chairs, Kazakhstan and Kiribati, reflected on the experiences and perspectives shared throughout the meeting and emphasized the importance of affected communities in future efforts. They announced that they would prepare a summary of their observations on recommendations raised during the meeting for submission to the UN Secretariat.