Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Nobel committee chair, announces the winner.

 Media captionBerit Reiss-Andersen, the Nobel committee chair, announces the winner.

The Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (Ican).

Berit Reiss-Andersen, the Nobel committee chair, said it was due to the group’s “groundbreaking efforts to achieve a treaty prohibition” on nuclear weapons.

“We live in a world where the risk of nuclear weapons being used is greater than it has been for a long time,” she continued.

She cited the North Korea issue.

Ms Reiss-Andersen called on nuclear-armed states to initiate negotiations to gradually eliminate the weapons.

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In July, 122 nations adopted a UN treaty designed to ban and eventually eliminate all nuclear weapons. But none of the nine known nuclear powers in the world – including the UK and the US – signed up.

Ican, a coalition of hundreds of NGOs, is 10 years old and is based in Geneva, Switzerland. The group will receive nine million Swedish kronor ($1.1 million, £94,000) along with a medal and a diploma at a ceremony in December.

How the prize is decided

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• Eligible nominators from around the world can put forward candidates up to 1 February of the award year, while Nobel Committee members have more time
• All nominations are reviewed by the committee – whose five members are chosen by the Norwegian parliament – before a shortlist of 20-30 candidates are selected
• A group of Norwegian and international advisers write individual reports on the shortlisted candidates. Using these and further reports, the committee narrows the selection down to a handful
• A decision is reached in the last meeting of the committee, usually in late September or early October, before the prize is announced
• If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, a simple majority vote is used
• After the announcement, the award ceremony takes place on 10 December, the date of Alfred Nobel’s death