Archive · 15 Dec 2025
Nuclear Arms Control and Gender Balance
The New START treaty, which controls nuclear arms between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire in 2026.
Russia has proposed a one-year extension, but tensions are high as the U.S. has considered resuming nuclear tests.
Experts warn that even a small nuclear exchange could cause a severe nuclear winter, leading to global starvation.
Historical events show how close the world has come to nuclear disaster, often averted by restraint and luck.
The article highlights the need for gender balance in nuclear decision-making, as studies show that women leaders prioritize peace and social welfare.
Currently, all nine nuclear-armed nations are led by men, and the article argues for more women in these critical roles to prevent catastrophic outcomes.
The New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia is set to expire on 5 February 2026, with Russia proposing a one-year extension.
U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the resumption of nuclear testing in response to alleged covert tests by Russia, China, and Pakistan.
A 2022 study in Nature Food warns that even a limited nuclear exchange could cause a severe nuclear winter, leading to global starvation.
All nine nuclear-armed nations are currently led by men, highlighting the need for gender balance in nuclear decision-making.
Studies show that women leaders prioritize peace and social welfare, and their inclusion in nuclear decision-making could prevent catastrophic outcomes.
- Who
- Global leaders, including those from the U.S., Russia, China, and other nuclear-armed nations
- What
- The expiration of the New START treaty and discussions on nuclear arms control and gender balance in decision-making
- When
- New START expires on 5 February 2026
- Where
- Globally, with a focus on the U.S. and Russia
- Why
- To prevent nuclear conflict and ensure balanced decision-making in nuclear arms control
- New START Expiry
- 5 February 2026
- Nuclear Warheads
- 12,241
- Countries with Nuclear Weapons
- 9
- UN Security Council Resolution 1325
- 2000
- Global Military Spending
- 2.7 trillion dollars
- Doomsday Clock
- 89 seconds to midnight
- Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
- 95 states signed
- Nuclear Winter Impact
- 5°C temperature drop, 10-40% agricultural yield loss