Small arms include revolvers, self-loading pistols, rifles, sub-machine-guns, assault rifles and light machine-guns. Examples of light weapons are heavy machine-guns, mortars, hand grenades and their launchers, portable anti-aircraft and anti tank guns and portable missile launchers. Both categories are comprised of weapons designed for use by armed forces, but by their nature are attractive to those involved in irregular warfare, terrorism and criminal activity. Their low cost makes them affordable, their size makes them easy to carry and conceal, and their ease of use keeps the need for training to a bare minimum.

	Small arms are illicitly trafficked in exchange for hard currency and such goods as diamonds and other precious gems, drugs and related contraband.

Small arms and light weapons intensify conflicts and make war more difficult to stop. They destroy the social fabric of societies, and promote a violent rather than peaceful settlement of differences. The result is often an increase in the intensity and duration of violence, crime, displacement and violations of the basic human rights of many millions of people.

It is estimated that more than half of the world's trade in these items is legal, but legally exported weapons often find their way into hands other that those for which they were intended. Small arms are illicitly trafficked in exchange for hard currency and such goods as diamonds and other precious gems, drugs and related contraband.