noweapons

Noweapons is an international nonprofit campaign and knowledge platform devoted to reducing and ultimately abolishing the possession and use of weapons through policy advocacy, public education, and data-driven research. The organization frames human security and civilian protection as central to progress and seeks to transform norms around weapon ownership, production, and trade.

It emerged in the 2010s as a coalition of researchers, humanitarian groups, and policy advocates spanning multiple regions. It operates with an international network of regional chapters that coordinate campaigns, conduct field pilots, and share open-source tools.

Key activities include policy briefings to governments and international bodies, independent research on the humanitarian impact of weapons, public awareness campaigns, and the development of risk-assessment tools and data portals that map weapons flows and supply chains.

Governance: a board of directors; staffed offices; partnerships with universities; funding from philanthropic foundations, multi-year grants, and individual donations. It emphasizes transparency and impact assessments.

Reception: supporters praise its moral framing and data-driven approach; critics say disarmament goals may be unrealistic in volatile security environments and worry about implementation, enforcement, and potential impact on legitimate security needs.

Impact: has influenced international dialogues on humanitarian disarmament, contributed to policy discussions, and spurred related campaigns; its open data tools are used by researchers and journalists.