World countries face a deadline of today to finalize the text of a treaty that would mark the first-ever global agreement regulating the arms trade. On Thursday, hopes were raised that a deal is near after a new draft was leaked closing a number of loopholes. But the outcome of the talks remains as uncertain as countries, including the United States, have demanded a number of exemptions. The United States is by far the world’s largest producer, importer and exporter of armaments. Opponents including the U.S.-based National Rifle Association have lobbied against the treaty, and a bipartisan group of 51 U.S. senators has signed on to a pledge vowing to oppose it, should it usher in tough regulation. In a protest outside the United Nations in New York City, activists set up a mock graveyard to symbolize the victims of gun violence worldwide. Verity Coyle of Amnesty International and David Grimason, who lost his son to a shooting attack, took part.

Verity Coyle: “One person every minute is killed by arms. I’ve met lots of the families of people who have suffered that terrible loss. As you can see behind us, thousands of people die every day. This is a reality that could be changed.”

David Grimason: “A treaty that doesn’t include all conventional weapons and all ammunition is — to me, will just be pointless. At the moment, you’ve got kind of unscrupulous governments that are willing to sell arms to any nation, not really caring about how they’re going to be used.”