In its premier issue, this volume provides the first broad overview of major aspects of the problem of small arms and light weapons proliferation. Issues covered include: products and producers; global firearms stockpiles; brokers and transport agents; legal small arms transfers; illicit small arms transfers; the effects of small arms availability; and multilateral measures and initiatives. The Survey will serve as the principal source of public information on all aspects of small arms, and as a resource center for governments, policy makers, researchers, and activists. With international contributors from a variety of backgrounds, it will interest all those in security studies, political science, law, economics, development studies, and sociology.

The United Nations Arms Trade Treaty became binding international law in late 2014, and although the text of the treaty is a relatively concise framework for assessing whether to authorize or deny proposed conventional weapons transfers by States Parties, there exists controversy as to the meaning of certain key provisions. Furthermore, the treaty requires a national regulatory body to authorize proposed transfers of conventional weapons covered by the treaty, but does not detail how such a body should be established and how it should effectively function. The Arms Trade Treaty: A Commentary explains in detail each of the treaty provisions, the parameters for prohibitions or the denial of transfers, international cooperation and assistance, and implementation obligations and mechanisms. As states ratify and implement the Treaty over the next few years, the commentary provides invaluable guidance to government officials, commentators, and scholars on the meaning of its contentious provisions. This volume describes in detail which weapons are covered by the treaty and explains the different forms of transfer that the Arms Trade Treaty regulates. It covers international human rights, trade, disarmament, humanitarian law, criminal law, and state-to-state use of force, as well as the application of the treaty to non-state actors.

In post-conflict situations, the success of humanitarian efforts is closely linked to the effectiveness of multilateral disarmament efforts, and both would benefit from a greater understanding of human security issues. This publication sets out case studies of humanitarian approaches that have had, or could have, a positive impact on disarmament processes. Cases studies included cover negotiations on anti-personnel mines, explosive remnants of war (ERW) and small arms, as well as emerging issues relating to gender and human security.

As a direct result of globalization and expanded economic opportunity, the last half century has yielded the most remarkable exodus from poverty in human history. Regrettably, not all have benefitted equally. No more somber example of this continued disparity can be found than in sub-Saharan Africa -- a region plagued by a myriad of security and development challenges, from the spread of infectious disease, to small arms trafficking, to terrorism. This report hones in on the Eastern Africa subregion and proposes a ¿whole of society¿ approach that seeks to better leverage existing resources, identify new streams of assistance, and bridge the divide between security and development. Charts and tables. This is a print on demand report.

Providing an overview of institutional developments and innovations in human rights politics, this volume discusses some of the most important current and emerging human rights issues. It takes stock of the initiatives, policy responses and innovations of past years to identify some of the challenges that will likely require bold and innovative solutions. The contributors focus on actors and/or issues that are outside the mainstream of international human rights politics; the chapters address issues that have only emerged as an important part of the international human rights agenda and generated much advocacy, diplomacy and negotiations since the end of the Cold War. These issues include: the International Criminal Court, the norm of Responsibility to Protect (R2P), the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and its human rights impact, truth commissions, and the rights of persons with disabilities. The contributions offer a direct challenge to entrenched notions of state sovereignty and represent a departure from established ways of policy making.