Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Annan, Kofi. 2000 ‘Freedom from Fear: Small Arms.’ Report of the Secretary-General to the Millenium Assembly of the United Nations; A/54/2000, p. 52. New York, NY: United Nations General Assembly. 27 March
Relevant contents
Freedom from Fear: Small Arms
The death toll from small arms dwarfs that of all other weapons systems - and in most years greatly exceeds the toll of the atomic bombs that devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In terms of the carnage they cause, small arms, indeed, could well be described as "weapons of mass destruction." Yet there is still no global non-proliferation regime to limit their spread, as there is for chemical, biological and nuclear weapons.
Small arms proliferation is not merely a security issue; it is also an issue of human rights and of development. The proliferation of small arms sustains and exacerbates armed conflicts. It endangers peacekeepers and humanitarian workers. It undermines respect for international humanitarian law. It threatens legitimate but weak Governments and it benefits terrorists as well as the perpetrators of organized crime.
Last accessed at:
https://www.un.org/en/events/pastevents/pdfs/We_The_Peoples.pdf