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Welcome to ConflictVoice. We are a group of independent bloggers and campaigners who focus on issues around the impact of conflict on the world's poorest people.Catch up with great posts, pictures and videos- read about what happened during the Arms Trade Treaty negotiations in the UN in October 2009. We had ConflictVoice bloggers at the UN and across the globe highlighting what happened.
Now the UN has started work on the Arms Trade Treaty find out what it should contain. Watch our slideshow:
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More resources - reports, videos, more information in our resource bank
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Arms dealer explains how steady supply of weapons means there is no victor and vanquished in civil war - and may never be
I’m ashamed to say this—but I will in the hopes that someone else out there was in my boat: I had no idea the international community is moving toward an Arms Trade Treaty regulating the proliferation of conventional weapons. In Dec. 2006, the UNGA passed Resolution 61/89 which compelled the UN Secretary General to take the temperature of member states on moving toward an ATT and establishing a “geographically equitable” body of independent experts tasked with adumbrating principles for such a treaty. The results of that expert deliberation is expected to be ready for a Conference on an Arms Trade Treaty in 2012
“Faces of Violence” - a brutal yet inspiring short film showing the impact of armed violence on development around the world. Produced by Brazilian organisation Igarape for the Oslo Conference on Armed Violence and Development.
The high-level conference on “Armed Violence and Development” hosted by the Norwegian Government and the UNDP has just closed with over 60 countries endorsing the Oslo Commitments. The text of the commitments will be made available by UNDP shortly.
For more information about the initiative on armed violence and development please have a look at the Civil Society policy papers.
If you want to support the work on armed violence and development please have a look at the AOAV plan of action. Or get in touch with Action on Armed Violence
Finally, please also have a look at the official background papers for the conference.
Oslo Conference on Armed Violence and Development in Geneva
LIVE - May 12th 10-1pm (GMT+1)
[Ecumenical News International, Kigali] African religious leaders meeting in the Rwandan capital of Kigali have called on their governments to support calls for a strong and comprehensive treaty against arms trading so that funds can be redirected into development.
El delantero argentino que milita en el Manchester City, Carlos Tevez será la figura principal de una campaña internacional que tiene como objetivo luchar contra la portación de armas durante el Mundial de Fútbol de Sudáfrica y evitar el ingreso de personas armadas a los estadios.
Sudáfrica viene haciendo esfuerzos para controlar la violencia armada y desde la Red Mundial de Acción contra las Armas de Fuego (IANSA) generaron esta campaña para ponerle un freno al problema durante el campeonato de fútbol.
Government will deal ruthlessly with politicians found culpable in the proliferation of arms in the northern regions of Ghana, the northern regional minister has declared. Moses Bukari Magbenba told Joy News the government will be excited to use a “big fish” as scapegoat in order to deter others from engaging in the illegal act.
“We can now say that a global arms trade treaty is possible.” The statement was made by the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Sérgio Duarte, after a meeting between the European Union and the United Nations held this February in Vienna, Austria.
“We have entered an important new stage,” said Oistein Thorsen (photo) Oxfam humanitarian campaigner…
The words of the women paralleled each other as they described how armed violence in the home and community, armed conflict, and the availability and misuse of guns feed each other in an unending cycle. These are not simple issues with easy solutions, but Sarah Masters says that this cannot justify apathy, silence, and inaction
KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of Congo is to launch on Tuesday a “firearm for 50 dollars” disarmament campaign in the vast country’s volatile eastern region, a minister said Monday.
Communication Minister Lambert Mende told AFP the government counted on collecting “20,000 to 30,000 guns at first” but did not say how long the operation, financed by President Joseph Kabila, was intended to last.
Colombia’s 4 million guns aid and exacerbate the violence that women and girls face in society and at home. Rebecca Gerome, in cooperation with the Advocacy Project and IANSA Women’s Network, documents the devastating impact.
The joint statement of Prime Minister Gordon Brown of the UK and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa after their recent meeting included the following:
“The ultimate goal of a world free of nuclear weapons requires cooperation on a number of important international initiatives. The UK and South Africa therefore look forward to President Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit next month and progress in the international treaty framework to stop nuclear proliferation, control the number of nuclear weapons and approve a new international conventional arms trade treaty through the UN. There was recognition that Iran remained in breach of five UN Security Council Resolutions on its nuclear programme and, that in order to pursue a legitimate nuclear energy policy, it should engage positively with the international community and the IAEA.”
Israel’s arms trade with India stands to expand dramatically following New Delhi’s decision to increase its defense budget to $32 billion.
“India plans to rebuild substantial parts of its armed forces and we will be there, offering everything they need,” a source within the Israeli Military Industries said.