IANSA Update 8 February 2008

India: CAFI conference identifies weaknesses in gun laws
UN: Group of Government Experts meets to discuss ATT
Children in armed conflict: new report
Argentina: Buyback extension and gun law reforms on the way
Latin American program to make cities safe for women
Other news: Rotary fellowships; jobs in UK and Geneva; new mediation website

India: CAFI conference identifies weaknesses in gun laws

Arms experts, activists, lawyers and teachers came together to urge the Indian government to tighten gun laws at a conference organised by Control Arms Foundation of India (CAFI) in New Delhi on 6 February. The conference was organised in response to a school shooting at a Gurgaon school in December, in which two students killed a classmate with a pistol stolen from a parent. Loopholes in the Indian Arms Act include no provision for instant criminal background checks. There are an estimated 40 million firearms in India, with 12 people dying from gun violence every day, according to CAFI. Read more here.

UN: Group of Government Experts meets to discuss ATT

The UN Group of Governmental Experts on the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) will hold its first working session in New York 11-14 February. Chaired by Ambassador Roberto García Moritán of Argentina, the 28-member GGE will examine the feasibility, scope and parameters of an ATT. The experts will report back to the UN General Assembly in October 2008. An analysis of Member States' views on the ATT was released by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) to coincide with the meeting. Read more here.

Children in armed conflict: new report
The Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict has released a report on monitoring the protection of children in situations of armed conflict. The UN has a Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism established under Security Council Resolution 1612, and the new report examines the implementation of that Mechanism in conflict zones around the world. It is accompanied by country-specific reports on Colombia, DR Congo, Sri Lanka and Uganda. Read more here.

Argentina: Buyback extension and gun law reforms on the way
Argentina's Vice President Julio Cobos met with IANSA members on 6 February to discuss the next steps in the country's campaign to prevent gun violence. The Red Argentina para el Desarme (Argentina Disarmament Network) worked closely with the government on the national guy buyback which took more than 70,000 guns off the streets in 2007. At their meeting the Vice President agreed to seek the extension of the buyback until December 2008 and to promote a package of gun law reforms. Read more here.

Latin American program to make cities safe for women
UNDP and UNIFEM have launched a new regional programme in Latin America called Safer Cities for Women. The programme aims to strengthen the active citizenship of women and to reduce public and private violence against them. Read more here.

Other news

• Applications are open for the 2009-11 Rotary World Peace Fellowships and for the January and June 2009 Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program sessions. This is a professional development program held in Bangkok and consists of three months of intensive study. More information here.
• The GFN-SSR, a joint initiative of three UK government departments is seeking a research officer on security sector reform. More information here.
• The Jubilee Debt Campaign, a UK initiative seeking to liberate the poorest countries from debt, is seeking a Director and an Education and Outreach officer. More information here.
• The Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) is seeking a Deputy Head. More information here.
• The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva has launched a new website with a focus on conflict mediation.
  

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