Key Issues
The problem of small arms proliferation
is multidimensional– that is why such a broad array of organisations
around the world are so concerned about it. Here are some of the
hot topics for groups working against SALW.
Public health
In some countries, small arms violence
is the leading cause of death among certain populations. Public health
and medical professionals view gun violence as a problem that can
be reduced using strategies successfully employed against other societal
health problems (such as smoking-related illness and motor vehicle
injuries). More
Women
and guns
It is overwhelmingly men who
buy, sell, and use small arms around the world, while women are
victimised to a disproportionate degree. This dynamic is often
overlooked in discussions of armed violence. More
Arms brokers
Arms brokers are the middlemen who negotiate, arrange for, or otherwise facilitate the transfer of weapons. Insufficient controls on such activities greatly facilitate the work of unscrupulous brokers who are involved in illicit or otherwise undesirable arms transfers. They have been identified as key to illicit transfers that have fuelled many recent civil wars, including in Sierra Leone, Angola or Colombia. More
Marking and Tracing of Small Arms
There is a crucial need for enhancing the ability of law enforcement agencies to trace weapons found in illicit possession back to the point at which these weapons were diverted from the legal to the illicit arms market. This, in turn, requires easily identifiable markings on all small arms and light weapons, the establishment of registers to follow their trade routes, and the capacity of national authorities to trace these in their records. More
Child soldiers
More than 300,000 children under
18 are fighting in armed conflicts in more than 30 countries. Many
are coerced into service and combat, and the widespread availability
of small arms and light weapons has enabled child soldiers to become
ruthless killers. More Weapons
collection and destruction
Collection and destruction
programs are popular ways to eliminate existing small arms stockpiles,
especially in post-conflict regions. How effective are they? What
are the key elements that make collection and destruction successful? More
Trade controls
Strict controls on export, transit and import of weapons are essential
to prevent the further proliferation of small arms and their abuse
by those violating human rights and international humanitarian
law. However, existing national and regional controls continue
to contain significant loopholes and there is a crucial lack of
an appropriate international treaty to regulate international arms
transfers. More
Small arms vs. development
How can a country improve its
infrastructure and economy when it is rife with small arms violence?
Whether through crime, armed rebellion, or civil war, small arms
not only hinder development, their presence limits the willingness
of other nations to provide humanitarian assistance. More
Regional perspectives
Click through to our regional
map to see what is happening around the world to stop small arms
proliferation. Regional map
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