Abstract

Since the Second World War, around 235 armed conflicts in 120 countries have claimed some 10 million lives in battle-related violence. ² The number of ongoing, armed conflicts has declined markedly since the early 1990s, levelling out in the last few years. The number of annual battle-deaths has seen a long-term decline since the Second World War. However, the 30+ armed conflicts that are currently ongoing remain a crucial component of human insecurity. In addition to the direct loss of life in battle, armed conflict claims high human costs through disease, refugee flows and the destruction of infrastructure. Reducing armed conflict makes a major contribution to improving human security. Although the work summarized in this chapter deals mostly with direct violence between organized parties within and between states, it is likely to have implications for other forms of violent human insecurity as well.