Article 36 is a specialist non-profit organisation, focused on reducing harm from weapons.

A small and effective team of advocacy and policy experts based primarily in the UK, we work in coalitions for new international legal and policy agreements. We bring our expertise and creativity to briefings, negotiations and strategically convened discussions.

We work together with civil society partners and governments to develop new policies and legal standards that prevent civilian harm from existing and emerging weapons technologies.

Our work

is underpinned by rigorous, transparent and independent analysis of how weapons harm civilians, and how to reduce and prevent such harm.

Our team

has more than a decade of experience in diplomatic negotiations and in developing practical, actionable policies.

We believe

that international standards can respond to humanitarian concerns, and we recognise the power and importance of legal, political and social norms in influencing behaviour. From framing humanitarian issues and shaping civil society responses, to convening key political meetings and presenting as experts in international treaty negotiations, we provide a critical voice on the role of weapons in our world.

How we work

Developing international laws and standards takes time: the adoption of a treaty is typically the result of a decades work through close partnerships and collective mobilisation. Agreements also require effective support after they have been signed.

Organisational commitments

Article 36 has an organisational policy not to organise or participate on all male panels. We host the Say No To #Manpanels list of individuals who benefit from their male gender and have committed not to speak on panels that include only men. We work to improve our internal policies and reflection in other areas, and our current policies on equality, diversity and inclusion, parental leave, safeguarding as well as our ethical image usage policy are available on request. This website is built to WCAG 2.0 (AA standard) accessibility, audited by Lighthouse.

Article 36’s work has been supported by:

Our main current projects and work focus on:

Supporting the implementation of a political commitment to protect civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas

Advocating for the development of an international legal instrument to control autonomous weapons

Research and policy analysis to develop a broad lens and policy action for better protecting civilians