Control Arms Campaign
Encyclopedia
Control Arms is a campaign jointly run by Amnesty International
, IANSA
and Oxfam International.
The campaign focuses on the international trade in arms, arguing that the lack of controls on the arms trade is fuelling armed conflict, poverty
and human rights abuses worldwide.
The campaign seeks to build support among governments for an Arms Trade Treaty
, a legal instrument that would prohibit arms from being exported to destinations where they are likely to be used to commit grave human rights violations. Such a treaty would require countries to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law
standards when authorizing weapons transfers.
After three years' effort by campaigners all around the world, the Control Arms Million Faces petition has now reached its target of a million photographs. On 27 October, 2006, the campaign claimed a major success as governments at the UN voted in favour of a resolution to start work on an Arms Trade Treaty.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, IANSA
IANSA
The International Action Network on Small Arms is an international non-governmental organization recognized by the United Nations. IANSA is based in London and has over 800 member organizations in 120 countries, working to stop the proliferation and use of small arms and light weapons.- United...
and Oxfam International.
The campaign focuses on the international trade in arms, arguing that the lack of controls on the arms trade is fuelling armed conflict, poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and human rights abuses worldwide.
The campaign seeks to build support among governments for an Arms Trade Treaty
Arms Trade Treaty
The Arms Trade Treaty is the name of a potential multilateral treaty that would control the international trade of conventional firearms. The treaty is in the preliminary stages of development and has not yet been officially negotiated.-Origins:...
, a legal instrument that would prohibit arms from being exported to destinations where they are likely to be used to commit grave human rights violations. Such a treaty would require countries to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
standards when authorizing weapons transfers.
After three years' effort by campaigners all around the world, the Control Arms Million Faces petition has now reached its target of a million photographs. On 27 October, 2006, the campaign claimed a major success as governments at the UN voted in favour of a resolution to start work on an Arms Trade Treaty.
See also
- Arms Control AssociationArms Control AssociationThe Arms Control Association is a US-based national nonpartisan membership organization founded in 1971 with the self-stated mission of promoting public understanding of and support for effective arms control policies...
- Arms Reduction CoalitionArms Reduction CoalitionThe Arms Reduction Coalition is a United Kingdom-based non-profit non-governmental organization which campaigns for a reduction in the resources spent on arms and the military and for those resources to be divereted to programmes that benefit humanity and the earth; such as poverty reduction,...
- Campaign Against Arms TradeCampaign Against Arms TradeCampaign Against Arms Trade is a UK-based NGO and campaigning organisation working towards the abolition of the international arms trade. Founded in 1974 by a broad coalition of peace groups, CAAT is united in opposition to the military industrial complex and the growth of the private military...
- Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
- Council for a Livable WorldCouncil for a Livable WorldCouncil for a Livable World is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit, advocacy organization dedicated to eliminating the U.S. arsenal of nuclear weapons...
- Small arms proliferationSmall arms proliferationSmall arms proliferation is a term used by organizations and individuals advocating the control of small arms and their trade; the term has no precise definition...