Global security indicators reveal a troubling trend: peaceful conditions are deteriorating, with state-based conflicts reaching their highest level since 1946. In 2024, military expenditures worldwide surpassed a staggering $2.7 trillion, marking the tenth consecutive year of rising military spending. As the number of children affected by armed conflict increases, the progress made in women’s rights faces significant setbacks. This escalating violence occurs against a backdrop of converging crises, including climate change, which exacerbates the risk of conflict.
In September 2024, the United Nations held the Summit for the Future, initiated by the UN Secretary-General, to address the collapse of the post-Cold War multilateral system and the increasing number of humanitarian emergencies. The summit highlighted how climate change, such as rising temperatures and drought, intensifies violence. Furthermore, militaries contribute to environmental destruction and high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, leading to what some have termed ecocide.
Military Spending Outpaces Peacebuilding Efforts
Governments worldwide have responded to escalating violence primarily by increasing military funding. In Europe, this surge is driven by concerns over Russian aggression following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The risk of a broader conflict involving NATO remains a pressing issue, exemplified by recent incidents of Russian drones entering Polish and Romanian airspace.
At the upcoming 2025 NATO summit, member states are under pressure from the United States to allocate 5% of their GDP annually to core defense needs by 2035. Many European countries had already raised military budgets in 2024, as did Russia. Meanwhile, China has consistently increased military spending over the past three decades, and the United States, the largest military spender, has also ramped up expenditures in response to ongoing conflicts, notably in the Middle East.
Despite rising military budgets, organizations focused on peacebuilding and peacemaking face chronic funding shortages. The sector has been described as “being stripped and downsized.” A notable example is the United States Institute of Peace, which was defunded and shut down shortly after Donald Trump took office. These funding cuts have led to a significant reduction in support for core costs and resulted in an increased reliance on project-based funding, which heightens competition for limited resources.
The Human Cost of Underfunding Peace
The consequences of diminished funding for peace initiatives are far-reaching. Cuts in American funding and a global backlash against women’s rights have marginalized gender equality concerns. Women-led peace initiatives, particularly significant in light of the 25th anniversary of the UN’s Women, Peace, and Security agenda, struggle to secure necessary resources. This agenda emphasizes the critical role of women in conflict prevention and resolution.
Violence against women and girls remains alarmingly prevalent, particularly in regions like Afghanistan, where the Taliban imposes a system of gender apartheid, and Palestine, where UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, has described Israel’s actions against Palestinian women and girls as femi-genocide.
In a world increasingly fragmented by conflict, the international peace architecture is crumbling. Humanitarian needs continue to rise, primarily due to violent conflicts. Despite this, many governments prioritize military spending over investments in peacebuilding and peacemaking, a trend that only exacerbates global insecurity.
Chris Coulter, Executive Director of the Berghof Foundation, emphasizes that “a truly secure world needs dialogue and peacebuilding, not just defense budgets.” This sentiment resonates with many in the peace community who advocate for a rebalancing of resources towards sustainable peace initiatives.
The trajectory of current military spending poses a threat to human rights, gender equality, and effective peacemaking. Governments must resist the temptation to continually inflate military budgets and instead allocate resources towards peace research, mediation efforts, and peacebuilding organizations. Without such a pivot, the world faces a future of escalating conflict and insecurity.
