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Last year global military expenditure was more than $1,686 billion (US$) - on average, more than $4.6 billion (US$) every day. By way of contrast, on average more than 16,000 children under the age of five die every day from mainly preventable causes - lack of access to adequate food, clean water and basic medicines. This is one of the prices paid, the collateral damage that is seldom talked about, for maintaining armed forces in a state of combat readiness around the world. Here in Aotearoa New Zealand - where the number of children living in families with an income below the poverty line and the level of homelessness continues to rise, and there is a desperate need for more social funding - in June 2016 the government announced a $20 billion (NZ$) military spend up over the next 15 years. This is in addition to the annual military budget: military spending rose by 5.3% to a record $3.67 billion (NZ$) in the 2017 Budget, an average of $70,748,846 every week.
Please scroll down this page for more information and updates on military spending ‣ ‣ ‣
2018 Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), 15 April to 3 May
- If you would like to be involved in this year's Global Days of Action on Military Spending, please contact Peace Movement Aotearoa, thank you. The new data on global military spending during 2017 will be released on 2 May 2018.
Military spending and related updates
- "Free" army dental care, really? Peace Movement Aotearoa, 12 March 2018
- On International Women's Day, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 8 March 2018
- Welfare or Warfare? Militarism, Peace and Planet public meetings - if you would you like to host a Militarism, Peace and Planet meeting or presentation, please contact Peace Movement Aotearoa, thank you.
- Election 2017: Our focus is welfare or warfare? ...
- Exhibition explores what country could spend with $3.69 billion military funding, Nelson Mail, 3 August 2017
- NZ Budget 2017 some facts and figures - On Facebook - A4 poster
2017 Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS), 18 to 28 April
Military spending and related updates
- Caring for those in need is about priorities, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 19 April 2017
- Humanitarian crisis: urgent appeal is equivalent to less than one day of global military spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 14 March 2017
- Health spending vs military spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 9 February 2017
- Child poverty vs military spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 19 December 2016
- Emergency housing vs military spending, 8 November 2016
- Prioritising military spending while food a 'luxury expense' for poor, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 23 June 2016
- 2016 Defence White Paper, Peace Movement Aotearoa, June 2016: ~ $20 billion for armed forces ~ "$20bn on defence - but is it enough?" ~ NZDF time machine
~ Poster: Government public spending priorities - Image on Facebook - A4 poster for printing
- Budget 2016: Welfare or warfare? Peace Movement Aotearoa, 26 May 2016
- Image on Facebook - A4 poster for printing
2016 Global Days of Action on Military Spending 2016, 5 to 18 April
- Welfare or warfare? 'Dollars and sense', public forum in Wellington on Wednesday, 6 April 2016 - A4 poster - on Facebook
- Global military spending rises / Welfare or warfare? forum in Wellington, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 5 April 2016 - on Facebook - formatted for printing
- How you can get involved in the 2016 Global Days of Action on Military Spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, March 2016
- RNZ Interview: Families vs frigate combat upgrade, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 5 February 2016
- TPPA vs Military Spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 3 February 2016
- Military Expenditure, Public Spending and the Rights of the Child - Submission to the Committee on the Rights of the Child on Draft General Comment on Article 4 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child: Public Spending, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 1 December 2015
- New Zealand National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 23 October 2015 - On Facebook - Formatted for printing
- Submission to the Human Rights Committee for the General Discussion on Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Right to Life, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 26 June 2015
- Public consultation: Defence White Paper 2015, Peace Movement Aotearoa, June 2015 - submissions are due on 22 June 2015
- The ongoing costs of militarism ... two airforce planes vs state housing, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 16 April 2015
2015 Global Day of Action on Military Spending, 13 April 2015 - was marked during the 2015 National Peace Workshops Remembering war / ending war: Challenging militarism and building peace, 18 and 19 April 2015
- Global military spending remains shockingly high, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 13 April 2015 - formatted for printing - on Facebook
- Statement on the Global Day of Action on Military Spending, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, 13 April 2015
- Global military expenditure in 2014 - SIPRI media release - SIPRI fact sheet - SIPRI site, 13 April 2015
- Disarm and develop - UN Expert urges win-win proposition for states and peoples, UNOG, 10 September 2014
- More military spending: new rifles for NZ armed forces, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 17 June 2014
- Frigates or Families / Welfare or warfare? Comments on Budget 2014, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 17 May 2014
- Budget 2014: Some comparative facts and figures, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 16 May 2014 - formatted for printing - on Facebook
- UN Expert urges states to be more transparent on military expenditure, UNOG, 16 May 2014
- Children's health or combat capability for frigates? Peace Movement Aotearoa, 2 May 2014
- Welfare or warfare? Peace Movement Aotearoa, 30 April 2014
2014 Global Day of Action on Military Spending, 14 April 2014
- Global Day of Action event details: 'Dollars and sense' forum in Wellington, and leafletting in Auckland - photo album
- Global military spending drops slightly, but not far enough, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 14 April 2014 - formatted for printing - on Facebook - on Scoop - on Yahoo news
- Global military expenditure in 2013 - SIPRI media release - SIPRI fact sheet
- Global Day of Action statement, UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, 14 April 2014
- Invest in social spending, cut military expenditure, UN Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, 11 April 2014
- NZ Budget 2013: Some comparative facts and figures, Peace Movement Aotearoa, 17 May 2013 - document with figures - graph
2013 Global Day of Action on Military Spending: 15 April 2013
2012 Global Day of Action on Military Spending, 17 April 2012
2011 Global Day of Action on Military Spending, 12 April 2011
If you are interesting in being involved in the Global Day of Action, or would like your organisation listed as a supporter of the Global Day of Action and of the urgent need to change spending priorities away from funding armed forces towards meeting human needs, please contact Peace Movement Aotearoa 'Global Day of Action support' in the subject line of your message.
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