Over 80% of young people across the Middle East want stricter state controls on private gun ownership, according to a new report by the Middle East North Africa Network on Small Arms (MENAANSA).

The report is based on interviews with focus groups of people aged 20-35 living in gun-affected communities in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Khartoum (Sudan). The results challenge the common belief that people in the Middle East generally accept guns as a normal part of life.

In Gaza, Lebanon and Sudan, over 50% of respondents would not choose to own a gun, with the most common reason being that guns are dangerous for the family. In the West Bank, while over 40% of people would choose to own a gun, 60% nonetheless believe there are too many guns in their society.

The press release is available in English and Arabic.

Click here to download the report in English.

The report is also available here in Arabic