Key takeaways

  • Nuclear weapons testing and use have differentiated impacts across affected communities, varying according to factors such as sex and age.
  • Gender imbalances persist in official meetings of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, where women comprise 34% and 38% of accredited diplomats, respectively.
  • Promoting gender equality in nuclear policymaking and addressing the gendered impacts of nuclear weapons can lead to more effective decision-making and improved assistance for survivors.

This factsheet provides an overview of the age-, sex-specific and gendered impacts of nuclear weapons and how this knowledge can support victims and survivors of nuclear weapons testing and use. It also presents data on the current gender balance of delegations to meetings of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. The factsheet concludes with suggested actions to promote gender equality and tackle the gendered impacts of nuclear weapons.