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The United Nations was founded on the belief that
peace and security for all peoples would only be possible through
disarmament. Article 26 of the United Nations Charter calls for
'the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security
with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human and
economic resources'.
Long-term development and security, ensuring food,
education, housing and economic infrastructure, is all but impossible
in regions torn apart by conflict. The global community often invests
again and again in the same conflict area, only to have hard-won
progress destroyed by the next conflict. Development efforts are
wasted unless these conflicts can be tamed and new ones prevented.
Additionally, in unstable regions, arms build-ups increase the likelihood
of violence and at the same time drain valuable resources away from
desperately needed human development.
UNIDIR's research programme attempts to address such problems. Proposing
new ideas for security thinking, UNIDIR's work brings together security,
disarmament and development so that all forms of security —
national, regional, global — are recognized as true manifestations
of human security. Putting people first in our debates on disarmament
and security is the fundamental approach of UNIDIR, and one that
we hope will make a significant contribution to lasting peace.
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