Small arms and light weapons and development

Small arms and light weapons (SALW) and their ammunition contribute to violent deaths worldwide, affecting both conflict and non-conflict settings. Their illicit proliferation undermines peace and security, impedes socioeconomic development, and enables human rights abuses. These weapons fuel armed conflicts, drive cyclical violence, displace populations, and exacerbate food insecurity. They also contribute to regional instability through insurgencies, banditry, and inter-communal conflicts linked to resource disputes and climate change.

The impact of illicit arms extends far beyond battlefields. From 2015 to 2021, intentional homicides outnumbered conflict-related deaths, with firearms accounting for 40% of global violent deaths in 2021, and some 67% in some regions.[1] Small arms destabilize governance, weaken institutions, and stifle economic growth, particularly in fragile states. They are used for terrorism, organized crime, gang violence, and domestic abuse, including sexual and gender-based violence. Notably, most cases of conflict-related sexual violence involve small arms. In post-conflict societies, diverted arms increase interpersonal violence and crime, deepening instability. Where armed violence thrives, communities face poverty, reduced access to education and healthcare, and stagnating development, further entrenching cycles of deprivation and violence.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development acknowledges that peace, security, and effective arms control are essential for sustainable development. As such, SDG Target 16.4 calls for a significant reduction of the illicit flow of arms, contributing to progress on other Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 5 on Gender Equality.

Yet, illicit SALW and their ammunition continue to flow, while investments in development remain insufficient. Overall, the world afforded $2.44 trillion to military spending in 2023, up by 6.8% from the previous year, a record high.[2] In 2023, violence linked to SALW cost the global economy $22.6 billion,[3] exceeding official development assistance (ODA) for education ($14.4 billion) and health ($21.8 billion).[4] Redirecting these resources could address critical development challenges, including poverty reduction, health systems, and education.

During the Fourth Review Conference of the Programme of Action on SALW in 2024, Member States renewed their commitment to address the adverse consequences of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on sustainable development, including the differentiated impact by gender, and agreed to make use of the United Nations country-level development instruments, such as the Common Country Analysis and the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.[1] In 2023, the General Assembly adopted the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management, aimed at comprehensively addressing the safety and security risks associated with conventional ammunition to prevent diversion and unplanned explosions.

In September 2024, the Pact for the Future was adopted, in which Member States recognized that disarmament is a fundamental component of the United Nations’ peace and security framework, connecting it further to development, prevention, human rights, and humanitarian efforts. In Actions 18 and 26 of the Pact, Member States committed to addressing the risks associated with the illicit trade in SALW, their parts and ammunition; and to strengthening efforts at the national and international levels to combat, prevent and eradicate such trade in all its aspects.  

An integrated response

The illicit trade and diversion of SALW are global issues with multidimensional impacts. A comprehensive response to SALW control requires coordinated efforts at all levels, including addressing the supply side — strengthening international and regional arms control agreements, and enhancing national efforts to improve stockpile management and tracing mechanisms to prevent diversion. Equally important is addressing the demand side by tackling the root causes of armed violence, such as poverty, inequality, and weak governance.

This requires integration across sectors. A whole-of-government approach ensures that relevant national entities, i.e. ministries of defense, interior, justice, and social development work collaboratively on disarmament policies. For example, SALW control can be linked to poverty reduction programs, youth employment initiatives, and community development projects. Recognizing that reducing violence creates a conducive environment for economic and social progress, national development frameworks can incorporate arms control. Targeted disarmament initiatives can help restore community stability, enabling displaced populations to return home and rebuild their livelihoods. Such coordinated efforts also require that diverse voices are heard including those of young people. Similarly, a whole-of-UN approach emphasizes the need for joint efforts by UN entities to align disarmament with humanitarian, development, and gender equality objectives, ensuring a comprehensive response to global challenges.

The Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) is one example of an integrated initiative. Launched in 2020 by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), it supports countries in incorporating SALW control into broader development strategies. SALIENT provides resources for programmatic, multi-sectoral interventions, demonstrating how SALW control contributes to human-centered peace and security. However, it is crucial to expand similar initiatives to ensure sustained impact.

Gender dimensions of SALW

The gendered impacts of SALW cannot be overlooked. While men constitute the majority of homicide victims (80% in 2022),[2] women face heightened risks of intimate partner violence and femicide, often perpetrated with firearms. Over 90% of civilian-owned firearms are held by men, reflecting societal norms that associate masculinity with gun ownership. Gender-responsive disarmament strategies are critical. Addressing these norms requires engaging men and boys in violence prevention efforts, promoting an examination of masculinities in different cultural contexts, and involving women in disarmament policymaking.

Thirty years ago, with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Member States recognized the negative impact of arms and militarization on development and women’s rights.  This recognition laid the foundation for the Women and Peace and Security (WPS) agenda (UN Security Council resolution 1325), which emphasizes the importance of including women in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and decision-making processes to address the unique challenges they face in conflict settings.  Strengthening gender mainstreaming is also highlighted as cross-cutting objectives under the global small arms and ammunition processes.

Collaboration between the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council is pivotal to addressing SALW challenges holistically. Joint efforts can align disarmament, development, and gender equality objectives, ensuring that SALW control is integrated into broader UN strategies. Concrete actions by Member States, regional organizations, and civil society are needed to implement arms control measures effectively. This joint meeting, the first of its kind on this topic, is an opportunity to advance SALW control as a critical element of sustainable development and international security.

[1] A/CONF.192/2024/RC/3, paragraphs 121-137

[2] Gender-related Killings of Women and Girls 2022, UNODC and UNWOMEN

[1] Global Study on Homicide 2023, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

[2] Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)

[3] Global Peace Index 2024, Institute for Economics & Peace

[4] OECD DAC (CRS), Official Development Assistance – ONE Data & Analysis

This joint meeting of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, in cooperation with the Office for Disarmament Affairs, aims to raise awareness of the importance of addressing small arms and light weapons in a holistic manner. It seeks to provide a platform for coordinated action, fostering collaboration across all relevant stakeholders to strengthen SALW control and its integration into broader UN frameworks.

Participation in the informal interactive dialogue will be open to Member States and observers of the General Assembly, the United Nations system, as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations with consultative status in ECOSOC.

Delegations are requested to inform the Secretariat of the accessibility requirements of their delegates to facilitate participation in meetings. Upon request, adjustments can be made to three seating arrangements with a view to enabling the participation of persons with disabilities. For individual requests, please contact the Meetings Support Section of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management (email: accessibilitycentre@un.org; phone: 212 963 7348/9) no later than three working days prior to the meeting.

The joint meeting will take place on Monday, 17 March 2025, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the Trusteeship Council Chamber, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. It will consist of an opening segment and two interactive panel discussions. A detailed programme will be circulated in due course.

The United Nations webcast services will provide live streaming coverage of the high-level meeting in all six official languages as well as on-demand coverage (recorded video) in English and original language, through the UN Web TV website at: http://webtv.un.org.

The President of the General Assembly and the President of the Economic and Social Council will prepare an informal summary of the discussion, which will be circulated to all Member States.

Trusteeship Council Chamber

• 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.: Opening Segment
• 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: Panel 1
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Panel 2
• 12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Closing Segment

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Panel 1: Beyond the Barrel: Integrated Approaches to Small Arms and Light Weapons in Security and Sustainable Development

This panel will explore the intersection of small arms and light weapons and sustainable development, focusing on both socio-economic drivers and impacts of illicit SALW on the achievement of the SDGs.

Guiding Questions:

1. How can disarmament and development communities better collaborate towards the 2030 Agenda, particularly SDG 16 and related targets?
2. What are some good practices for integrating SALW control measures into development and prevention agendas at the national, sub-regional and regional levels?
3. How does rising military expenditure impact development, and how can security spending be aligned to support and complement development efforts?

Panel 2: Weapons Down, Women Forward: Achieving gender equality and preventing gender-based violence (GBV) through gender-responsive disarmament, arms control, and the prevention of armed violence

This panel will focus on the role of arms control for achieving gender equality and SDG5, highlighting strategies to prevent gender-based violence and promote equality.

Guiding Questions:

1. What practical steps can Member States take to implement gender-responsive disarmament policies?
2. 30 years after Beijing: how far have we come in linking gender equality and disarmament? How can the UN enhance collaboration with civil society to address the gendered impacts of small arms and light weapons?
3. What are the effects of SALW (and their drivers) on specific scenarios where there are compounding factors already at play (e.g. displacement camps, refugee camps, areas of war or conflict, areas of civil unrest such as Haiti)?  How does the presence of SALW make the problem worse?

Letter from President General Assembly on Small arms and light weapons | General Assembly of the United Nations

Summary_Joint-GA-ECOSOC-Meeting-on-SALW-and-Development_17-March-2025.pdf

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