Humanizing disarmament and peacebuilding
Rising Star Alumni Award recipient Kirsten Mosey (BA ’22) talks about her work and advocacy in disarmament and peacebuilding
Kirsten Mosey is a passionate advocate, accomplished researcher, and emerging leader in international policy. A graduate of Waterloo with a BA in political science, Kirsten now serves as a Policy Officer in the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Division at Global Affairs Canada. As an undergraduate, she served as a United Nations Youth Champion for Disarmament where she addressed government leaders, UN staff, and students, advocating for inclusive and sustainable disarmament policies. She has numerous published works including for Project Ploughshares and her self-published guide on intersectional disarmament.
Kirsten’s professional experience includes work with universities and non-profits in roles such as communications assistant, researcher, and field aid worker in refugee camps in Southern Europe. Her commitment to addressing forced migration, inequality, and global disarmament reflects her dedication to social equity and peacebuilding.
We recently spoke with Kirsten about her work.
Can you share a bit about your work as Policy Officer in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament?
At Global Affairs, I advance Canada’s priorities in non-proliferation (curbing the spread of weapons) and disarmament (dismantling and/or eliminating weapons), focusing on nuclear risk reduction and nuclear disarmament verification. My work includes identifying measures to lower the risk of nuclear weapon use and ensuring the verifiable dismantlement of nuclear weapons.
I also coordinate Canada’s contributions to United Nations disarmament bodies, working with teams in Geneva and New York on statements, resolutions, and working papers. Additionally, I lead cross-cutting efforts on gender, youth, and civil society, integrating gender perspectives into policies and engaging universities, think tanks, and advocacy groups, including the University of Waterloo.
Kirsten Mosley at the United Nations.
Your publication An Intersectional Guide to Disarmament is impressive! What do you want people to understand about the connections between disarmament and social movements?
Thank you! Disarmament can feel inaccessible due to its techno-strategic language and ties to the defense industry. Growing up in a relatively safe and secure area of Canada, I felt disconnected from the impact of weapons, and this led to early questions of “so what” in my research and advocacy. In the Guide, I aim to break inaccessibility by emphasizing the human experience rather than the weapons themselves—armed violence affects us all, directly or indirectly. By highlighting the disproportionate impact of armed violence on marginalized groups and its links to global challenges like climate change and AI, I hope readers see how disarmament connects to their passions. A safer and more prosperous world for all is impossible while the threat of weapons exists at any scale, whether handguns or nuclear weapons.
You accomplished a lot as an undergraduate student. Could you talk about the undergrad experiences that most inspired or helped your career path?
Two experiences stand out. First, the co-op program shaped my path in unexpected ways. My first co-op work term at the University introduced me to the Kindred Credit Union Centre for Peace Advancement, where I later completed multiple work terms with the Centre and its research affiliates. These work experiences deepened my interest in peacebuilding.
Second, my experiences living and volunteering abroad helped me connect with like-minded professors and students. One professor, who had visited the same refugee camp as I had, encouraged me to apply for the UN Youth 4 Disarmament Program—and this opportunity launched my career in disarmament advocacy.
Banner photo: Kirsten at the residence of the Canadian Ambassador to UN, Geneva, courtesy of Kirsten Mosley