Patience pays off for arms campaigners
Every day, around 1,000 people die as a result of armed violence. Conflict and insecurity wastes lives, devastates families and keeps communities locked in a cycle of poverty.
In December 2006, three years of tireless work involving more than one million campaigners came to fruition, when 153 governments voted at the UN General Assembly to start work on an Arms Trade Treaty to limit the free flow of arms into conflict zones, and the hands of oppressive regimes. That’s something to celebrate.
This is just the start
Work has begun towards an ATT, which is tremendous progress. Exactly what shape that ATT will take is still to be negotiated. Some states are opposed to stricter controls and will try to use this process to weaken the final agreement. We must keep the pressure up to make sure they don’t succeed.
Watch this video: Helen Mirren’s appeal to the UN
