More on arms control
Photo from the Control Arms Campaign
You may have noticed that we are currently highlighting arms control (see the latest poll below and this week’s The Lancet Student Recommends slot to the left). Every year, roughly half a million men, women, and children around the world are killed by armed violence. So I thought you may be interested in the following two news items:
Ongoing talks on a Global Arms Trade Treaty: Currently, 28 delegates from every continent on the Group of Governmental Experts are starting their first discussions on a global Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in New York. The Group of Governmental Experts was appointed by the Secretary General to examine the feasibility, scope and parameters of an Arms Trade Treaty and report back to the UN General Assembly in October 2008. In 2006, 153 states voted in the UN General Assembly to begin work on an Arms Trade Treaty - 24 states abstained and only the USA voted against.
Hundreds of non-governmental organisations have been campaigning since 2003 for a Treaty which would prohibit arms transfers that fuel conflict, poverty and serious human rights abuses. While 80% of States broadly support these goals, some sceptical governments wrongly claim that a Treaty would prevent responsible arms transfers for legitimate defence, policing or peacekeeping.
So far there has been huge momentum internationally for the Arms Trade Treaty. The UN overwhelmingly voted to start work on the ATT in 2006 and last year 100 states responded to the Secretary Generals consultation - more than ten times the usual amount. In addition an array of military leaders, police officers, doctors, parliamentarians, community leaders, human rights workers, celebrities, religious groups, and people forced to flee violence took part in Control Arms events and in a Global People’s Consultation to demand tougher controls on the international trade in conventional arms.
Number of armed groups or forces using child soldiers increases from 40 to 57 for recruiting children: According to the latest UN Secretary General’s annual report on Children and Armed Conflict, the number of armed groups and forces identified as using children has climbed from 40 in 2006 to 57 in 2007.
This increase hides a complex reality. On the one hand it indicates better monitoring and reporting of violations and an improved ability to identify parties responsible. On the other hand it also reflects a deterioration of the situations in Chad and Sudan, as well as renewed fighting in Afghanistan and Central African Republic, where children are now being recruited.
The rise in the number of groups identified as using child soldiers has reinforced the importance of the Optional Protocol and having international legal instruments and improved monitoring and reporting mechanisms in place to combat this scourge.
But the news is not all bad. Over the past six years, there have been a number of positive developments in addressing this situation. There are now 119 States parties to the Optional Protocol. Furthermore, since February 2007, 66 Governments have subscribed to the Paris Commitments to protect children from unlawful recruitment or use by armed forces or armed groups. In addition, at least three peace agreements with armed forces and groups in Chad, the Central African Republic, and Sudan have reiterated the commitments made in Paris, and in one situation, the Ivory Coast, the recruitment of children has ceased. Rhona MacDonald: rhona.macdonald@lancet.com
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