Addressing the Global Military Spending Crisis
10% for All is a global campaign advocating for a coordinated reduction in military spending and a reinvestment in human security. The initiative calls on governments around the world to reduce their military expenditures by 10% and redirect those resources toward urgent social, environmental, and humanitarian needs.
Global military spending has reached unprecedented levels. In 2024, countries collectively spent 2.718 trillion USD on military budgets, the highest level ever recorded and a 9.4% increase from 2023. At the same time, the world continues to face overlapping crises, including widespread hunger, accelerating climate change, displacement, rising authoritarianism, and deepening global inequality.
The scale of military expenditure contrasts sharply with the limited resources devoted to addressing these urgent global challenges. The 10% for All campaign highlights the need to rethink prevailing approaches to security and prioritize investments that strengthen human wellbeing.
A Global Call for a 10% Reduction
The campaign proposes a coordinated 10% reduction in military spending by all countries. By acting collectively, states can interrupt the global arms race without undermining their relative security positions. A reduction of this scale would free approximately 271 billion USD annually, resources that could be directed toward addressing global priorities such as food security, climate financing, healthcare, education, and sustainable development.
The campaign also advocates for equitable reinvestment. It calls on governments to allocate half of the savings toward domestic social priorities and half toward global needs, particularly in regions most affected by inequality, conflict, and climate vulnerability.
Building Momentum Through Regional Cooperation
The 10% for All initiative promotes a strategic approach that builds momentum toward a global agreement through regional and multilateral cooperation. Inspired by successful frameworks such as Nuclear Weapons Free Zone treaties, the campaign encourages:
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Regional agreements among neighboring states
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Bilateral reductions between countries
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Multilateral negotiations within existing international institutions
These steps can help demonstrate the feasibility of coordinated reductions while building trust between governments.
Addressing Historical Responsibility
Military spending is heavily concentrated among a small number of countries. In 2024, NATO member states accounted for approximately 55% of global military expenditures, with the United States alone responsible for about 37% of the global total.
The campaign emphasizes that a fair approach to global security must recognize these disparities. Wealthier countries that have historically driven global militarization have a particular responsibility to support investments that strengthen human security and address the impacts of conflict, inequality, and climate change worldwide.
Reimagining Security
The 10% for All campaign challenges the dominant model of militarized security. Despite ever-growing defense budgets, many of the most significant threats to human life arise from poverty, hunger, environmental degradation, and lack of access to basic services.
True security, the campaign argues, depends on investments in peacebuilding, diplomacy, climate action, social protection, and equitable access to resources. Redirecting even a small portion of global military spending could dramatically improve the wellbeing and stability of communities around the world.
A Shared Vision
10% for All brings together civil society organizations, researchers, and grassroots movements committed to advancing a new vision of security: one that prioritizes human dignity, environmental sustainability, and nonviolent solutions to conflict.
Through research, advocacy, and public engagement, the campaign supports local and regional initiatives that raise awareness about the impacts of militarization and promote practical pathways toward reducing military expenditures.
Learn more about this project here & support them with a donation here.