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Definition The United Nations defines small arms as broadly 'those weapons designed for personal use'. Also known as SALW (Small Arms and Light Weapons) they are cheap and easy to use, and are traded globally through legal and illegal networks. The United Nations Firearms Protocol entered into force on 3 July 2005, ushering in a new international instrument to regulate the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of small arms, which include handguns, pistols, sub-machine guns and light missiles. The US second amendment to the Bill of Rights states that, “… the right of people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The wide ranging costs (not just financial) of using SALW lead many to challenge the approach of gun rights organisations like the US National Rifle Association who argue for the right to bear arms based as in the US second amendment. The financial costs/profitability of the legal arms trade can be found on this here. More details and international information about the trade in small arms can be found on this survey report which also explores the deception which accompanies the trade. Illegal trade and use of SALW in the EU is described in the 2001 publication on Small arms and security in EU Associate countries Facts and figures on the impact of SALW can be found on the Global Issues website.
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