CHRIS UHLMANN: It's hoped an international effort to curb the deadly consequences of weapons trading will come into force by the end of this year.
A year ago today the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty but only 13 countries have since ratified it. Another 17 countries are expected to ratify the treaty today. Fifty are needed if it's to become law.
Australia is among the countries which have signed but is yet to ratify the treaty.
Natalie Whiting reports.
NATALIE WHITING: Each day around 2,000 people die in conflicts fuelled by illegally traded weapons. Rasha Abdul-Rahim is from Amnesty International's Arms Control and Human Rights Team.
RASHA ABDUL-RAHIM: Every year more than 500,000 people are killed as a result of armed violence and millions more are displaced. We're seeing armed conflicts in Syria and the Central African Republic. We're seeing protest movements in Egypt and other countries in the Middle East. We want states to really be held accountable for the arms transfer decisions that they make.
NATALIE WHITING: This time last year 155 countries voted in the UN General Assembly to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty.
The treaty aims to regulate the global trade in weapons. It would prevent states from transferring arms to countries where they could be used for war crimes or crimes against humanity.
Despite more than 100 countries signing on to the treaty, so far only 13 have ratified it. But Ms Abdul-Rahim says at least 17 European Union states are expected to ratify the treaty today.
RASHA ABDUL-RAHIM: That will bring the ratifications up to approximately 31, which is more than half of what we need.
NATALIE WHITING: Once 50 countries ratify the agreement, it will be brought into law after 90 days.
RASHA ABDUL-RAHIM: Canada hasn't signed and Canada is producing a lot of arms and it's sending on to countries with, you know, human rights records that aren't good at all. Israel is another one.
The USA has signed the treaty but it hasn't ratified it yet and we're hearing that there is opposition from the Congress to get the ratification process started.
NATALIE WHITING: She says Amnesty International expects the 50 ratifications to come within months.
RASHA ABDUL-RAHIM: Hopefully it will enter into force towards the end of this year and then there will be the first conference of states parties where states will meet to discuss how to implement the treaty and there will discuss rules of procedure and that will be very, very crucial.
NATALIE WHITING: While Australia was one of the first to sign the treaty, the Government is yet to ratify it.
CHRIS UHLMANN: Natalie Whiting.