Argentina’s first national gun buyback started on 10 July. The President announced the buyback during the Week of Action in Necochea, the hometown of a teenaged boy who was gunned down in July last year. The shooting caused public outcry and a strong call for tighter controls on gun purchase and ownership in Argentina.

The program follows an extensive consultation process with government agencies and experts from civil society. The consultation included numerous IANSA members from Argentina and Australia, where a similar buyback was run in 1997 following the Port Arthur massacre.

Under Argentina’s buyback firearms can be exchanged for cash and surrendered weapons will be destroyed. The program includes a major public awareness campaign to highlight the danger of guns in the home.

Read more on Argentina's Minstry of Interior official site for the buyback.