The Nation (Malawi)
Moses Michael-Phiri

The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) says that the proliferation of small arms and light weapons is one of the biggest challenges currently facing Malawi, the whole southern Africa sub-region and the world at large.

CHRR project coordinator Undule Mwakasungura said in an interview on Tuesday there is a need to put a stop to trafficking and wide availability of such weapons.

He said trafficking and wide availability of these weapons had fuelled instability, conflict in most countries and pose a big threat to sustainable development.

"The Global Small Arms Network has declared June 1 to 8 as a week of action against small arms and light weapons," Mwakasungura said.

"During the week we will be building momentum for a United Nations conference expected to meet in New York this July. We will actually be holding a press briefing this today apart from lobbying and holding advocacy meetings with government and parliamentarians [on the problem at hand]."

The UN meeting in July will mainly centre on progress that has been made on the plan of action on small arms. Member states took up several steps to fulfill this plan of action so they will give the UN meeting reports on what they have achieved, he added.