A/HRC/27/51 government, nor shrouded in secrecy, nor justified on grounds of “national security”. Civil society rejects fear-mongering and sabre-rattling. Only through resolute political will can the dynamics of the military-industrial complex be countered, the demands of which on the public purse lack democratic legitimacy and whose success relies on undemocratic lobbying activities. 66. Sustainable solutions to both the international financial crisis and the dislocated economies of many countries lie in part in the recognition that military budgets are woefully inflated and must be downsized, that large armies and nuclear arsenals are anachronisms. Civil society demands transparency, accountability and most importantly the right to effective participation in setting budgetary priorities, which must not be left in the hands of defence contractors and corporate lobbyists.86 A significant downsizing of military budgets should result in the creation of jobs elsewhere – not for the production of more consumer goods, since people can consume only so much, but in social services, education, food security, clean water, health care, infrastructures, research into sustainable sources of energy and the control of pandemics. Austerity is necessary in the military – not in the progressive achievement of economic, social and cultural rights. Retrogression in the latter field entails violations of articles 2 and 5 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. B. Recommendations 67. As in his 2013 report, the Independent Expert is honoured to put forward a few pragmatic recommendations. 1. Recommendations to States 68. States should regularly report to the Human Rights Council on their military expenditures and contrast them with expenditures for education, health care, the administration of justice, etc. States should ensure that such expenditures are discussed within the framework of the Human Rights Council’s universal periodic review mechanism and governments should be persuaded to devote a greater percentage of their budgets to the promotion of civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights, and to make concrete proposals to convert from a military-first to a human security paradigm. Military expenditures incurred by States in conflict zones and internationally disputed territories that give rise to confiscation of territory and exploitation of the colonial and occupied peoples resources should also be examined under the universal periodic review. 69. States should report annually to the Secretary-General of the United Nations pursuant to General Assembly resolution 66/20 on their military expenditures for the most recent fiscal year.87 70. States should pro-actively inform their populations of military expenditures and encourage public participation in determining budgetary priorities. States should not conceal military expenditures by attributing them to other departments, such as 86 87 22 See James Carafano, Private Sector, Public Wars: Contractors in Combat – Afghanistan, Iraq, and Future Conflicts (Praeger, 2008). See also www.batr.org/corporatocracy/021914.html. See the report of the Secretary-General on objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures (A/68/131). See also www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/Milex/Publications/.