An arms trade treaty
Campaign organisations like the Control Arms campaign are calling for there to be legally binding international controls on arms transfers, to tighten global regulation of the arms trade. The proposed Arms Trade Treaty would be based on a simple principle: no weapons for violations of international law. The aim is to stop weapons being sold to those people and countries who openly flaunt international human rights and humanitarian laws. That means weapons should not be sold by any country to places where they are likely to fuel conflict and instability, or be used to commit human rights abuses.
This may seem like an impossible change to bring about, but campaigners point to the success of the anti-landmines campaign. In 1997 the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) contributed to one of the most successful worldwide reforms of international law - the Ottawa Convention, banning the use of antipersonnel landmines. This Landmines Treaty was brought about by the combination of active governments and worldwide popular support. Although the scourge of landmines has not yet been eradicated no country has openly traded in these weapons since 1997. In recognition of its achievements the campaign was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997, and applauded for changing a ban from "a vision into a feasible reality" and offering a model for future disarmament and peace.
Read about Landmines.