A youth delegate from Kiribati delivered a powerful plea for nuclear justice at the United Nations General Assembly, urging world leaders to confront the long-term human and environmental consequences of nuclear testing.

Speaking on the International Day Against Nuclear Tests, Oemwa Johnson shared her family’s painful legacy as survivors of British nuclear detonations conducted on Kiritimati Island between 1957 and 1962. Her grandfather, exposed to radiation at the age of 14, suffered lifelong health complications, including hearing loss and cognitive decline. Johnson described the trauma as generational, with effects still visible in her community.

“We refuse to inherit a legacy of silence,” Johnson told delegates. “The shadow of nuclear weapons must not define our future.”

Johnson also highlighted ongoing environmental damage, noting that local fish species remain contaminated and continue to cause illness among residents. She called for international support for a trust fund proposed by Kiribati and Kazakhstan in 2022, designed to assist victims of nuclear testing and implement Articles 6 and 7 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).

“For every mother, every child, and every generation yet to come,” she said, “join the movement for nuclear justice.”

Kiribati is among the Pacific nations most affected by Cold War-era nuclear testing and has emerged as a vocal advocate for disarmament and reparative action. The country ratified the TPNW in 2021 and continues to push for global recognition of the harm caused by nuclear weapons.