This document discusses the role that civil society organizations can play in supporting governments' implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, which aims to prevent weapons of mass destruction from being used by terrorists. It outlines several ways civil society can help, such as monitoring government compliance, raising awareness of 1540, sharing information, providing legal and technical expertise, training, fundraising, and building networks. The document recommends that civil society organizations assess their countries' implementation programs, notify the UN of their expertise, coordinate activities internationally, and develop a database of civil society capabilities to support 1540.

1. Meeting the Objectives of UN Security Council
Resolution 1540: The Role of Civil Society
Brian Finlay
Managing Director and Senior Associate
Managing Across Boundaries
Stimson
202.478.3444
bfinlay@stimson.org
www.stimson.org/programs/managing-across-boundaries

2. Innovating 1540

4. National Monitoring
 UNSCR Resolution 1540 uniquely targets the threat of
WMD terrorism, and therefore, seeks to directly protect
the interests of civil society;
 Civil society has a unique role to play in monitoring
their respective governments’ efforts to ensure
implementation of the Resolution;
 These efforts can go far to help raise awareness and
build political momentum toward implementation
 Considered expansively, this role goes beyond security
think tanks and other civil society groups.

5. Awareness Raising
 Local civil society organizations can
play a role in raising the priorities of
1540 to their respective governments
 Many civil society groups have
worked both independently and in
cooperation with governments to
hosted awareness-raising seminars
and workshops, and otherwise have
participated as experts in
international conferences focusing on
1540.

6. Information Sharing
 Many governments have
failed to prioritize
implementation of
1540, occasionally due to a
competition with other
priorities;
 Others lack awareness of
the mandate and
opportunities;
 Civil society organizations
can play critical role in
raising the profile beyond
international events.

7. Legal Gap Analysis
 A first practical step for any
national government in
implementing the Resolution is
a comprehensive legal analysis
that compares and contrasts
existing legal authorities with
the mandate of the Resolution
 This is a role often well suited
to specialized civil society
organizations

8. Provision of Specialized Expertise
 Effective implementation of
the UN Security Council
Resolution 1540 requires
extensive knowledge and
capacities across an
extraordinarily broad array
of relevant practical, legal,
and policy fields;
 Civil society organizations
may be able to backfill these
competencies.

9. Training
 Many governments lack the
technical capacity or
willingness to divert those
scare resources;
 Civil society organizations often
possess the unique knowledge
and capacities requisite to
transmit to government
agencies.

10. Financial Assistance
 Rarely are civil society
organizations able to fully finance
their activities without the
external financial support
 Philanthropic organizations. can
often provide more nimble
assistance to promote innovation
in ways that government
authorities are either unable or
unwilling.

11. Building Implementation Networks an
Identifying Donors
 The breadth of responsibilities
under UNSCR 1540 is so vast
that identifying and building
implementation networks of
government agencies, civil
society actors, private
industry, and
international, regional, and sub-
regional organizations is
essential to full and effective
implementation.

12. Political Legitimacy and Assisting Governments
in Drafting Requests for Assistance
 In many instances, implementation of
1540 is an insufficiently high priority
for governments;
 Indigenous civil society organizations
can play a significant role in promoting
the political legitimacy of a national
WMD security agenda;
 These organizations can also provide
direct implementation assistance to
their national authorities.

13. Breadth of Civil Society Engagement
 UNSCR 1540 requires a wide breadth of skills
and assets to achieve implementation;
 These skills go beyond WMD security;
 Critical role to be played by:
 Legal scholars
 Public health experts
 Supply chain specialists
 Civil society can become a critical bridge into
these constituencies.

14. Recommendations for Civil Society
1. Launching a comprehensive assessment of their governments’
national implementation programs, identifying gaps, and
advocating for enhanced engagement;
2. Notifying the Committee/UNODA of their unique interests and
specialized expertise;
3. Making available that expertise to the Committee/UNODA and to
interested States;
4. Coordinating their national and international activities with the
Committee and with UNODA;
5. Establishing relationships across national borders and working
with local NGOs to facilitate national buy-in and a deeper
understanding of assistance needs;
6. Development of a comprehensive database detailing the
capacities of civil society organizations around the world
capable of assisting with UNSCR 1540 implementation