International Disarmament Law 2026

Many disarmament treaties and bodies are under pressure due to the state of international relations. However, the law created in this area is more important than ever to understand and uphold. When times get better, new law will be required, and drawing lessons from the current multilateral disarmament treaties will be important.

Disarmament is integral to the safeguarding and promotion of security, development, and human rights. Over the past fifty years many multilateral disarmament treaties have been concluded and form an integral part of international law today. 
This course explores contemporary international rules governing disarmament as well as related issues of arms control, non-proliferation and international humanitarian law. It further examines the political, operational, and technical considerations which affect their implementation. It also gets participants to think about the future of international disarmament law.

Learning objectives

Identify and understand the key concepts of International Disarmament Law and consider how to draft new law to address emerging challenges to arms control and disarmament.

Modules

The core modules for this course are: 

• Key Concepts and Definitions in International Disarmament Law
• The regulation of the use of weapons
• The regulation of the transfer of weapons
• The role of a disarmament treaty secretariat
• The prohibition on stockpiling in International Disarmament Law
• Demining as disarmament in practice
• The prohibition of lethal autonomous weapons
• The future of International Disarmament Law

The course is designed for anyone wishing to increase their knowledge of international disarmament law. It is open to all levels of experience but will be particularly useful for those starting out their work in this area.

Early-Bird Discount of CHF 250 if you apply before 1 August 2026. GCSP Alumni qualify for a 20% discount on the standard rate. Get another 100 CHF off each if you bring a friend or colleague – you must ensure they mention your name in their online application.