The nuclear legacy of the Marshall Islands serves as the central foundation of the establishment of MEI and our work. Since our founding, MEI has been committed to addressing the devastating and ongoing impacts of U.S. nuclear testing from 1946-1958. Our programming, whether in areas of health, culture, or education, is intended to mitigate these nuclear consequences. At the international level, MEI advocates for global nuclear disarmament and seeks justice for the Marshallese and other affected communities.​​​ 

 

Led by MEI’s Executive Director, Benetick Kabua Maddison, the organization works to shift the narrative surrounding the Marshallese people from one of victimhood to one of agency and empowerment. MEI advocates for transparency and declassification, recognition and memorialization, and abolition of nuclear weapons as well as an end to the nuclear fuel chain due to harms it causes, including those from mining and miling, and transportation, production, and disposal of waste, which often are done on indigenous lands on a global scale.

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For decades, Marshallese have engaged the U.S. government through the Compact of Free Association. Despite Marshallese efforts to push for U.S. accountability for the lasting effects of nuclear testing, we have seen little meaningful progress. Marshallese, along with global allies, continue to demand accountability, comprehensive compensation, and support for recovery efforts. The Marshall Islands government is currently pursuing justice at the international level through the Human Rights Council (HRC) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). MEI supports these efforts as well as demanding justice through the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). 

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MEI endorses and promotes the TPNW, adopted on July 7, 2017, and effective from January 22, 2021. This treaty is the first legally binding international agreement aimed at the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Articles 6 and 7 specifically address victim assistance and environmental remediation, providing support for those affected by nuclear activities and requiring ecological restoration.