Working together to end poverty and injustice

Control Arms

Lack of controls on the arms trade fuels conflict, poverty and human rights abuses worldwide.

• 1000 people a day are killed because of armed violence
• 26 million people have been forcibly displaced because of armed conflict

Oxfam joined the Control Arms campaign in 2003 to demand governments toughen up controls on the arms trade and introduce an international Arms Trade Treaty to stop arms being sold to those likely to misuse them.

Over one million people joined the campaign. In June 2006, the "Million Faces" petition was presented to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. In December 2006, 153 governments voted at the UN to begin work towards an historic, legally-binding international Arms Trade Treaty.

July 2010: keeping up the pressure

In July 2010, negotiations on the terms of the Arms Trade Treaty will begin in New York, leading up to a conference in 2012. We hope member states will develop, sign and ratify an international Arms Trade Treaty at this conference in 2012.

Oxfam will be at the UN in July to encourage the world to establish a treaty that holds governments to account, and is workable, enforceable and strong enough to save lives.

• Blog: Luke Roughton writes from the Arms Trade Treaty Negotiations in New York
• Understanding the issues: read more on the campaign so far

Watch the video: Dying for action

Oxfam New Zealand supports peace-building work in the Pacific

Oxfam New Zealand is working with partners in the Pacific, supporting peace-building and conflict-resolution initiatives.

• Read about Oxfam New Zealand's peace-building work