Marking and tracing

In order to properly control the flows of arms into and out of their countries, states need to know where the guns are coming from. Tracing involves the systematic tracking of illicit weapons from their source (the manufacturer, or last legal importer, or last legal owner) through the lines of supply, to the point at which they were diverted into the illicit market. If this point of diversion can be identified, preventative measures can then be taken to stop guns falling into the wrong hands.

Recognising the importance of adequate marking, recordkeeping and tracing, the non-binding International Tracing Instrument was agreed at the UN in 2005. This complemented provisions in the binding 2001 UN Firearms Protocol. Implementation has been slow, despite the involvement of Interpol. A key problem is computerisation of records, so that each gun can be linked to its last legal user.

 

Latest news

Brazil: Parliamentarians and police support the Disarmament Statue

Political commitments from several government gun control actors in Brazil, after Sou da Paz presented its latest research on the 2003 gun law (Disarmament Statute).

Canadian women support gun control

59% of Canadians believe that the registration of rifles and shotguns is useful and should be maintained, according to a nationwide opinion survey.

Kenya: Pastoralist women's campaign

IANSA women in Wajir (Kenya) are celebrating a major victory as the local government has agreed to share information about their small arms inventory and mark over 9,000 weapons.

Argentina: Update on national disarmament network

The Argentinean Disarmament Network held its general assembly on 22 March in Buenos Aires.

Nigeria: Ministers adopt plan to implement ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms

Ministers of Defence in ECOWAS Member States met in Abuja (Nigeria) on 16-17 March and adopted the Plan of Action for the Implementation of the ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms.

Latest resources

SIPRI Yearbook for 2011

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Yearbook for 2011 is now out.

Small Arms Brief from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre April/May 2011

This brief includes a report from a course on small arms and border security management took place from the 14-25 of March 2010, as well as an analysis of the conflict in Cote d'Ivoire and it's implications for the proliferation of small arms in the West African region.

MGE 2011 - NGO presentations - 13 May

NGO presentations took place during the morning plenary session of Friday 13 May

MGE 2011 - Side event - 'Measurability and Implementation' - 13 May

A summary report of the side event 'Measurability and Implementation - Country-by-country comparisons of marking, tracing, record-keeping and other norms', coorganized by GunPolicy.org and the Permanent Missions of Australia and New Zealand to the United Nations on 13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - Establishment and maintenance of effective national record-keeping systems for small arms and light weapons

A summary report of the side event 'Establishment and maintenance of effective national record-keeping systems for small arms and light weapons' held on 12 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Afternoon - 12 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the afternoon session on Thursday 12 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Morning - 12 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the morning session on Thursday 12 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Afternoon - 11 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the afternoon session on Wednesday 11 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - Implementing firearm marking and record-keeping in Southern Africa

A summary report of the side event 'Implementing firearm marking and record-keeping in Southern Africa: a partnership between police, civil society and the private sector”' held on 11 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Morning - 11 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the morning session on Wednesday 11 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - Tracing conflict ammunition: viability and challenges

A summary report of the side event 'Tracing conflict ammunition: viability and challenges' held on 11 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - The Programme of Action and Opportunities

A summary report of the side event 'The Programme of Action and Opportunities' held on 10 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Afternoon - 10 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the afternoon session on Tuesday 10 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011: How and why to include women in international efforts to trace and uncover the illicit trade in SALW

An article by the IANSA Women’s Network was published in the MGE Monitor on Tuesday 10 May 2011 and calls upon states to integrate a gender perspective in their tracing efforts, and actively include women at all stages of the process including capacity building and cooperation initiatives.To read it go to: http://www.iansa-women.org/node/630

MGE 2011 - Side event - Why Traces Fail – Challenges involved in issuing and responding to tracing requests

A summary report of the side event 'Why Traces Fail – Challenges involved in issuing and responding to tracing requests' held on 10 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Morning - 10 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the morning session on Tuesday 10 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - Applying the Mark: A meeting on the practicalities of marking firearms and ammunition

A summary report of the side event 'Applying the Mark: A meeting on the practicalities of marking firearms and ammunition' held on 9 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Side event - Draft International Standards on Marking, Record-keeping and Tracing of SALW

A summary report of the side event 'Draft International Standards on Marking, Record-keeping and Tracing of SALW' held on 9 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Afternoon - 9 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the afternoon session on Monday 9 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Morning - 9 May 2011

A summary report of the main points of the opening session on Monday 9 May at the Open-Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts, 9-13 May 2011.

Small arms report by the UN Secretary General, 2011

This report by the UN Secretary-General was submitted to the UN Security Council to bring them up to date on issues that were presented to them in the 2008 SG report on Small Arms

Accreditation: UN PoA Meeting of Governmental Experts 9-13 May 2011

The UN Programme of Action Open Ended Meeting of Governmental Experts (MGE) will take place 9-13 May 2011 at the UN Headquarters in New York.

International Tracing Instrument

This non-binding agreement was adopted as part of the UN small arms process in 2005. It establishes minimum standards for the marking, tracing and recordkeeping of guns.

History of Gun Control in Canada

An article in two parts summarising the history of gun control in Canada is now available on the Advocacy Project blog.

Small arms report by the UN Secretary General, 2008

This report by the UN Secretary General came as response to a statement from the UN Security Council in 2007, requesting that they receive a report on small arms every two years