Empty arms: the effect of the arms trade on mothers and children

摘要

More than 85% of the major conflicts since the second world war have been in poor countries During the 1990s the poorest countries of the world became saturated with arms, with brokers often supplying both sides of a conflict Between 1986 and 1996, a major proportion of those dying as a result of armed conflicts were civilians, particularly women and children Huge differences in the health of mothers and children exist between the poor countries undergoing conflict and the predominantly rich countries exporting arms to them Legal trading in arms should be a responsibility of a newly configured United Nations, and much more regulation of arms manufacturing companies is needed International laws and their aggressive enforcement should stop illegal arms trading, including its support systems