Above all else, weapons are tools of violence and repression by those that use them and tools of financial gain by those who make and sell them. Every year, thousands of people are killed, injured, raped, exploited, or forced to flee from their homes as a result of the poorly regulated and irresponsible global arms trade. This trade continues to make our world a poorer, less democratic, more corrupt, and less safe place. WILPF has highlighted this problem throughout our 105 year history and is part of global efforts to reveal and challenge the links between arms production, the arms trade, military spending, violent conflict, and the reduction of available resources for social and economic justice.

The international community has developed various instruments to prevent human suffering from the arms trade and illicit proliferation of weapons. 

There are many regional agreements, both politically and legally binding, that relate to the trade and proliferation of conventional weapons. After a seven year process at the United Nations, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 2 April 2013. The ATT obligates its states parties to assess the likelihood of their arms transfers being used to commit or facilitate genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and serious human rights violations. It is the first ever legally binding instrument that recognises the link between gender-based violence and the international arms trade, owing in part to campaigning by WILPF and the IANSA Women's Network. The UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons provides the framework for activities to counter the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, which are also covered by the ATT. It was adopted by all UN member states in 2001. By-products of the UNPoA include the International Tracing Instrument, the Firearms Protocol, and  a Group of Governmental Experts on arms brokering. In 2020, the UN General Assembly established a Group of Governmental Experts on the subject of surplus ammunition.

Much more work is needed to end the arms trade and war profiteering. In many arms exporting countries, national civil society has mobilised to protest against specific arms transfers, such as recently in the context of the conflict in Yemen. Other groups document and try to expose and call for accountability around illicit weapons proliferation and production, as well as diversion. Survivors of armed violence, and in particular gun violence, have played a central role in calling for law in relation to the arms trade and trafficking. WILPF has sought to highlight the gendered impact of the international arms trade, and its incompatability with feminist peace.