The Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention, during its twentieth session in 2015, designated November 30th as the International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare.
This commemoration provides an opportunity to honor victims of chemical warfare and to reaffirm the commitment of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to eliminate the threat of chemical weapons, promoting peace, security, and multilateral cooperation.
The serious efforts to achieve chemical disarmament, culminating in the Chemical Weapons Convention, began more than a century ago. Chemical weapons were used on a large scale during World War I, resulting in over 100,000 direct fatalities and one million casualties. However, chemical weapons were not deployed on the battlefield in Europe during World War II.
Following World War II and amid the nuclear debate, countries gradually recognized that the marginal strategic value of retaining chemical weapons was limited, while the threat posed by their availability and proliferation made a global ban necessary.
The Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1993 and entered into force on April 29, 1997. States parties established the OPCW, responsible for monitoring the prohibition on production and use of chemical weapons, and overseeing the destruction of chemical weapon stockpiles worldwide.
The OPCW conference includes representatives from all member states, each holding one vote, ensuring a multilateral and collaborative approach to global chemical disarmament.
