Joint UN meeting tackles small arms control to foster sustainable development

This article is published in association with United Nations.

On Monday, during a meeting of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council, UN officials and disarmament experts emphasized the urgent need to tackle the widespread issue of small arms and light weapons. They warned that the stakes are higher than ever in a world increasingly plagued by conflict and crisis.

At the joint session, speakers before two of the UN’s most representative bodies stressed that these weapons have fueled wars, exacerbated humanitarian crises and undermined efforts for peace and stability. The urgency to curb their proliferation, stakeholders noted, has made the search for integrated approaches to disarmament and development ever more critical.

The session, entitled Small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development, was opened by Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly.

Mayhem and ‘the weapon of choice’

He emphasized that the gathering was not intended to review progress on the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons, known by the shorthand ‘PoA’, but rather to focus on the destructive impact of illicit flows and misuse of small arms and light weapons on development.

“Our objective today is to focus on the destructive impact of the illicit flows and misuse of small arms and light weapons on development,” Mr. Yang stated, underscoring the ease with which these arms can be acquired due to their availability and low cost, leading to their misuse by non-state actors and driving instability and conflict worldwide.

“It is estimated that 580,000 people died violently in 2021, half of them by firearm,” he noted, adding that small arms are the weapon of choice in nearly half of all homicides globally.

The Assembly President also highlighted the disproportionate impact on women and girls, with estimates indicating that between 70 and 90 per cent of incidents of sexual violence during conflict involve small arms and light weapons.

“In conflict and post-conflict situations, such as in Haiti, South Sudan, Sudan, and many parts of the Sahel, illicit small arms and light weapons jeopardize peace and sow the seeds of future instability, creating a vicious cycle of violence and conflict that obstructs sustainable development,” he explained.

Mr. Yang pointed out the economic toll of violence linked to these weapons, which was estimated to have cost the global economy $22.6 billion in 2023. “Imagine what these resources could do if they were deployed towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he urged.

However, he acknowledged the implementation gaps that hinder the containment of the phenomenon. “We hope that today’s discussion will be an opportunity to revitalize the debate on illicit flows and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their effects on socio-economic development,” he said, calling for collaborative and effective approaches to address the issue.

Mr. Yang concluded by urging delegations to focus on the dangers to development caused by small arms-related insecurity and excessive military expenditures.

“Article 26 of the UN Charter calls for the least diversion of the world’s human and economic resources to armaments,” he reminded the joint session, suggesting viable proposals for operationalizing the relationship between disarmament and development.

Following Mr. Yang’s address, Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), emphasized the importance of addressing small arms and light weapons control within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly target 16.4 of SDG16, which calls for a significant reduction of illicit financial and arms flows.

“Despite this commitment, conventional weapons, including small arms and light weapons, continue to fuel conflicts and inflict a significant number of casualties and suffering every year,” Mr. Rae stated.

United Nations

Ambassador Bob Rae, President of the Economic and Social Council, addresses a joint meeting on small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development.

Comprehensive approaches can save lives

Mr. Rae called for a comprehensive and integrated response to address the adverse consequences of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons on sustainable development.

“Addressing the issue of small arms and light weapons comprehensively will not only save lives directly, but also indirectly by channeling resources towards the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals as well as other basic needs of populations, such as health, education, and housing,” he explained.

He emphasized the need for efforts to be guided by the principle of leaving no one behind and aligning the priority of gender equality with the goal of reducing arms. 

Mr. Rae highlighted the importance of consultations with civil society, indigenous peoples, youth, and members of the LGBTQI+ community to ensure a gender-responsive, inclusive, and intersectional approach to disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control.

To effectively mainstream gender in the comprehensive response to small arms and light weapons, he outlined several key actions, including improving data collection on violent crime disaggregated by sex, age, and whether a small arm was used; and promoting the full, equal, meaningful, safe, and effective participation of women in technical and policy-related roles.

“It is of utmost importance that women are fully represented as active participants, and not just victims, in combating the effects of small arms and light weapons and bringing their voices to strengthen decision-making processes,” Mr. Rae emphasized.

Women’s voices can strengthen action

He highlighted the need for an integrated response to address the illicit trade and diversion of small arms and light weapons, harnessing synergies with the SDGs and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

“We must engage a wide variety of national institutions, civil society, academia, and research institutions to address the issue of small arms and light weapons efficiently, impactfully, and comprehensively,” he stated.

The joint meeting also featured concluding remarks from Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, who highlighted the gathering’s significance in operationalizing commitments from global frameworks, including the small arms and light weapons PoA and the Global Framework for Through-life Conventional Ammunition Management.

“Today’s discussions clearly underscored why strengthening this link is a priority,” Mr. Ebo stated. He emphasized that small arms and light weapons control is not merely a short-term remedy for public security concerns but a long-term investment in social, political, and economic development.

“Achieving progress on Goal 16 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – namely to reduce illicit arms flows – enables us to make progress on several other Goals, including gender equality, education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability,” he explained.

Mr. Ebo also outlined several key recommendations from the event, including the need to:

1. bridge the gap between policy communities at the UN;
2. integrate small arms and light weapons control measures into national and regional development frameworks; and
3. facilitate cross-border collaboration through regional approaches.

“By embedding small arms control in development strategies, we can better address both immediate and long-term peacebuilding priorities, ensuring a more cohesive approach that links disarmament, development, and human security,” he stated.

He also emphasized the importance of a whole-of-government and human-centered approach at the national level, involving cross-disciplinary working groups and broad partnerships with grassroots organizations and civil society.

The UN official highlighted initiatives such as the ODA-managed UNSCAR Trust Facility and the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT), which support small arms control and sustainable development efforts.

United Nations

Adedeji Ebo, Director and Deputy to the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, addresses a joint meeting on small arms and light weapons control for preventing violence and advancing sustainable development.

Mr. Ebo echoed other officials in stressing the need for gender-responsive small arms and light weapons policies, including the integration of disarmament efforts into strategies to prevent gender-based violence and empower women as key actors in arms control processes.

“It is essential that diverse voices and needs are heard in both disarmament and development discussions,” he stated, calling for inclusive data collection systems and enhanced diversity and inclusion in policymaking processes.

Mr. Ebo concluded by highlighting the rising global costs of conflict and military expenditures, as spotlighted in the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States this past September and which lays out a vision for multilateral cooperation across key global issues, including peace and security, the SDGs, development finance, governance reform, and climate change, among others.

He encouraged ECOSOC and the General Assembly to consider convening a dedicated joint meeting to discuss the findings of a study on this issue. “The link between disarmament and sustainable development is undeniable.”