Background
There are scores of countries around the world where internal violence and conflict are causing enormous human suffering. Innocent people face death and injury, human rights violations, destruction of their livelihoods, and mass displacement.
Oxfam has worked with victims of conflict for over 58 years. Whether in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, or Latin America, these conflicts are fuelled by the international trade in arms—most notably, small arms and ammunition. Easy access to the weapons of war is a fundamental humanitarian concern.
No one knows exactly how many small arms are circulating in the world today. Some sensible estimates put the figure around 500 million, which would mean one weapon for every 12 people on this planet. As supplies flood the market, prices are falling in real terms.
The proliferation of small arms has changed the nature of conflict in many parts of the developing world. Wars, which only a decade ago were fought with primitive weapons, are now waged with automatic and semi-automatic weapons. With so many weapons readily available, even small-scale conflicts between communities and general lawlessness can be played out with more deadly consequences. For the civilians living in areas of conflict and insecurity, the consequences are horrific.