The handbook was prepared and launched by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons and the World Future Council, supported by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.

This guide to parliamentary action in support of disarmament for security and sustainable development has been produced by the partner organisations in order to educate and engage legislators (parliamentarians) in all fields of disarmament, including of nuclear weapons, other weapons of mass destruction, other inhumane weapons, small arms and light weapons, other conventional weapons and emerging weapons.

The approach and focus of the guide draws primarily from Securing our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament, a report released by the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) in 2018 and followed up by the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) with guidelines and support for implementation.

The parliamentary guide offers recommendations and examples of parliamentary action and exemplary policy relating to the disarmament issues and goals outlined in the UNSG’s report. In addition it includes a section on disarmament and public health in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, also with recommendations and examples of policy and parliamentary action.

In preparation for this guide, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) organised
a number of consultation events (physical and virtual) involving legislators, disarmament experts, United Nations officials, representatives of treaty bodies
including the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, and representatives of UN member states, key civil society organisations and the
publishing partners. Feedback from these events has contributed to the guide.

This guide, like the UN Secretary-General’s report, covers a broad spectrum of disarmament issues. There is not the space in this guide to go into details, or
offer a comprehensive set of recommendations and examples of parliamentary practice, for each disarmament issue. Instead, the guide provides an overview of issues and parliamentary action, draws examples from resources on specific disarmament issues produced for legislators by the partner organisations, and encourages legislators interested and active in those issues to consult those specific resources for more information.