Reaching Critical Will

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Military Spending

In 2009, global military expenditures reached approximately 1531 billion USD, which is an increase of 5.9% in real terms compared to 2008 and an increase of 49% since 2000. Of those countries for which data was available, 65% increased their military spending in real terms in 2009.

Below are several resources that explore various aspects of military spending, development, economic justice, and the military-industrial complex, produced by Reaching Critical Will, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, or other non-government organizations.

Military Spending Toolkit
This kit includes a draft letter to government officials requesting their consideration of military spending, development assistance, and reporting to the Register of Conventional Arms and Instrument for Reporting Military Expenditures. We also welcome you to invite your government officials to a meeting to discuss these matters—the kit includes talking points for your meeting, and some sample questions that you could give your sympathetic representatives to ask in parliament or equivalent, in order to raise these issues—and receive answers—at the highest levels of government.

Article 26 Fact Sheet
Article 26 of the UN Character directly challenges and addresses militarism. It demands disarmament and reduced military expenditures as a precondition for increased security, development, and peace and it places the Security Council at the centre of enforcing disarmament and redirecting resources away from military security and towards human security. Find out more about Article 26 and how to use it in your work for peace, economic justice, and disarmament.

You Get What You Pay For Brochure
This leaflet explains the disparity between spending on militaries and warfare and spending on gender equality. Full of astounding statistics, You Get What You Pay For outlines the cost of achieving gender equality, the utility of gender budgeting, and the price of fulfilling all of the Millennium Development Goals.

The Military-Industial Complex: Disarmament and the Corporate Connection
This project names a baker's dozen of the world's dirtiest arms manufacturers. Updated in 2007 with information on corporate involvement in missile defense and the weaponization of outer space.

Disarmament and Development
The United Nations recognizes disarmament and development as "two of the international community's most important tools for building a world free from want." Disarmament helps create conditions favourable for development, while development creates conditions favourable for disarmament. However, they do not automatically trigger each other: disarmament must be accompanied by efforts to build or rebuild economic, social, and governing structures that foster political participation and social integration and equality, and that transfer resources effectively to the programmes and efforts that require them most. Disarmament also does not automatically result in a surplus of resources—the disarmament process can be expensive, and funds freed from a reduction in military spending will not necessarily be immediately plugged into disarmament measures. Find out more with Reaching Critical Will's resources on this complex subject.

International Women's Day Seminar 2008
At What Cost?: Women, Wars, Weapons, and Conflict Prevention
The 2008 International Women's Day Disarmament Seminar highlighted the crises of human security and sustainable development caused by military spending, war and weapon profiteering, and the persistence of ideas and expectations of gender that shape how war, women, and peace are considered. Read the seminar statement, speeches, and find out more information on this annual seminar.

Military Spending in WILPF Section Countries
This webpage illustrates the percentage of total global military spending of the countries where WILPF have sections. The table also highlights figures on military spending per capita in countries with WILPF sections, their payments to the UN, and a comparison between their military spending and UN support.

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
SIPRI Yearbook 2008: Military Expenditure
The SIPRI Yearbook provides updated statistics and trends on global military spending, as well as arms production and trade.