Valenti Maria, Mtonga Robert, Gould Robert, Christ Michael
International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW), Somerville, USA.
Zambian Healthworkers for Social Responsibility, Lusaka, Zambia.
J Public Health Policy. 2014 Feb;35(1):14-25. doi: 10.1057/jphp.2013.49. Epub 2013 Nov 21.
The United Nations adopted an historic international Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) in April 2013. A 1997 meeting of Nobel Peace Prize laureates who called for an International Code of Conduct to address the 'destructive effects of the unregulated arms trade' initiated discussions that led to the Treaty. Public health institutions, including the World Health Organization and the International Committee of the Red Cross, and nongovernmental health groups such as International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, made adoption of the ATT a public health imperative. The poorly regulated $70 billion annual trade in conventional arms fuels conflict, with devastating effects on global health. The ATT aims to 'reduce human suffering'. It prohibits arms' sales if there is knowledge that the arms would be used in the commission of genocide, attacks against civilians, or war crimes. The health community has much to contribute to ensuring ratification and implementation of the ATT.
2013年4月，联合国通过了一项具有历史意义的国际《武器贸易条约》（ATT）。1997年，诺贝尔和平奖获得者召开会议，呼吁制定一项国际行为准则，以应对“不受管制的武器贸易的破坏性影响”，由此开启了导致该条约出台的讨论。包括世界卫生组织和红十字国际委员会在内的公共卫生机构，以及诸如国际防止核战争医生组织等非政府卫生组织，都将通过《武器贸易条约》视为一项公共卫生要务。每年规模达700亿美元的常规武器贸易监管不力，助长了冲突，给全球健康带来了毁灭性影响。《武器贸易条约》旨在“减少人类苦难”。如果知道武器将被用于实施种族灭绝、袭击平民或战争罪行，则禁止销售此类武器。卫生界在确保《武器贸易条约》的批准和实施方面可发挥很大作用。
