“We need to redefine what makes us secure in this world. It is not arming our country to the teeth. It is not getting other countries to arm themselves to the teeth… It is using that money more rationally to make the countries of the world secure, to make the people of the world secure.”
Beginning as a Vietnam War protestor, Jody Williams transformed into a life-long advocate for peace. Jody has dedicated her life to lobbying against American military policy and foreign intervention for over 30 years and in 1997 won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work on the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Her quest for disarmament currently focuses on her work with the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots.
Launched in 2013, the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots is a global coalition comprised of 54 international, regional, and national non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, the Nobel Women’s Initiative and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. The Campaign spans 25 countries.
Killer robots are not drones. Drones require a human being to make the kill decision. Killer robots would be able to choose and fire on targets without any human intervention. Replacing human troops with these machines could make the decision to go to war easier and the burden of armed conflict will be further shifted onto civilians. Several nations, including China, Israel, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are moving towards developing these killer robots.
The Campaign calls for a comprehensive, pre-emptive ban on the development, production, and use of killer robots and advocates for an international treaty, as well as national laws and other measures. The Campaign is growing quickly, with more than 20 Nobel peace laureates now on-board and scientists and robotic companies pledging not to participate in the development of killer robots.
Jody strongly believes that change starts and extends from ordinary individuals working together for action. She credits everyday people, joining for a common cause for the success of her campaigns. Jody calls for action, not just emotion, stating, “what we need today is people getting up and taking action to reclaim the meaning of peace...it’s hard work every single day.”
Fearing Bombs That Can Pick Whom to Kill by John Markoff, New York Times, November 11, 2014.
Learn, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, 2014.
Visit The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots’ website to learn how you can support the campaign.