Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is a doctrine of military strategy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. This state of parity in nuclear capabilities creates a deterrent effect, as neither side can launch a first strike without ensuring their own destruction, thereby maintaining a fragile strategic stability.

Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) is a doctrine of military strategy and national security policy in which a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by two or more opposing sides would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender. It is based on the theory of deterrence, where the threat of using strong weapons against the enemy prevents the enemy's use of those same weapons.

The 1970s marked a critical period for arms control, notably with the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I) signed in 1972. These agreements were designed to freeze the number of strategic ballistic missile launchers, effectively codifying the nuclear parity required to maintain the stability of the Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) framework during the Cold War.

Total disarmament, often referred to as comprehensive disarmament, involves the complete elimination of all weapons and military forces globally. Unlike partial or limited disarmament, which focuses on specific weapon types or numerical caps, comprehensive disarmament aims for the total removal of the means of warfare, seeking to eliminate the capacity for organized state-level violence entirely from the international system.

The United Nations General Assembly held its second special session devoted to disarmament (SSOD-II) in 1982. This session was a significant diplomatic effort to address the escalating nuclear arms race and promote global security through multilateral negotiations. It followed the first special session on disarmament held in 1978.

Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND), formerly known as Women’s Action for Nuclear Disarmament, is a non-profit organization founded in 1982. It focuses on empowering women to act as political leaders and advocates for nuclear disarmament, peace, and security. The organization emphasizes the intersection of gender and global security policy.

The dilemma of nonviolence concerns how individuals or movements can effectively respond to systemic or physical violence without resorting to counter-violence. It explores the ethical and strategic challenges of maintaining nonviolent resistance in the face of aggression, questioning whether nonviolent methods can achieve political goals when confronted by oppressive forces that utilize force as a primary tool of control.

Positive peace, a concept popularized by Johan Galtung, goes beyond the mere absence of direct violence (negative peace). It involves the presence of social justice, equality, and the removal of structural violence—the systemic ways in which social structures harm people. Achieving positive peace requires addressing the root causes of conflict, such as poverty, discrimination, and political oppression, to create a stable and equitable global order.

Bertha von Suttner, a prominent Austrian pacifist and author of the influential anti-war novel 'Lay Down Your Arms', was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905. She was the first woman to receive this honor. Her work was instrumental in advocating for international arbitration and disarmament, and she is widely credited with influencing Alfred Nobel to include a peace prize in his will.

The 1987 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Oscar Arias Sánchez, the President of Costa Rica at the time. This recognition was primarily due to his instrumental role in drafting and promoting the Esquipulas Peace Agreement, which aimed to end the civil wars and political instability plaguing several Central American nations during the 1980s. His diplomatic efforts were crucial in fostering regional dialogue and promoting democratic processes in a volatile geopolitical environment.