Work areas

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. On this page you will find the latest news and resources on some of the hot topics for groups working against small arms and light weapons.

Latest news

Georgia: Women of Ozurgeti say “No gun violence!”
Women, gender and guns

Georgian IANSA women of the Fund Sukhumi have joined the Week of Action campaign. Members of the Ozurgeti Club of Women-Voters from Western Georgia gathered in the Ozurgeti Centre of Civic Engagement and shared their common position: “No war! No violence! No armed conflicts!” Among the participants was Nino Nikolaishvili, a journalist of the local newspaper “Alioni”, who will cover the campaign.

South Africa: Radio broadcast to reduce illegal guns
Armed violence and development, National gun laws, Weapons collection and destruction

IANSA member Gun Free South Africa is partnering with Primedia, South Africa’s leading media group, to run a campaign to encourage 3 million radio listeners to participate in the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence by reporting illegal guns and illegal gun use to Primedia’s crime fighting initiative, CrimeLine. The advertisement is being broadcast from 11 to 17 June 2012 on the national radio stations 702 Radio, 567 Cape Radio, Kfm, and 94.7 fm.

Amnesty International Global Tweet-a-thon, DRC Report and Campaign Video
International trade controls

As part of their ongoing strategy to apply pressure on the “Big Six” arms exporters, Amnesty International is having a global Tweet-a-thon targeting the foreign ministries of the USA, UK, France, Russia and China during the Global Week of Action. Each day AI will target one of the “Big Six” countries. On Day 1 of the Global Week of Action, tweeters targeted the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who responded in turn with a positive tweet on the ATT.

India: Rural youth rallies
Armed violence and development, Children and armed violence

Rural Development and Youth Training Institute in India organised two rural youth rallies against gun violence. The rallies took place in the Mandar-Gar and Jaspura villages in the Kota District, Rajastha. About 175 rural youths, farmers, women, and girls and boys actively participated in the campaign. All the participants made a vow that they will not tolerate armed violence or the misuse of guns in their communities.

Cameroon: IANSA Women meet with government authorities to call for strong ATT
International trade controls, National gun laws, Women, gender and guns

Women in Alternative Action Cameroon held discussions with authorities of the Ministry of External Relations in Cameroon to bring attention to the forthcoming ATT conference and the need for quick ratification of the Kinshasa Convention and to call for improvement of Cameroon’s gun policy.

Latest resources

Small Arms Brief from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre April/May 2011
Border controls, Marking and tracing

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.

The Arms Trade Treaty: why women?
International trade controls, Women, gender and guns
This article was written by IANSA Women's Network coordinator Sarah Masters for the openDemocracy website and makes the case for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that protects women by linking to the existing binding international instruments covering gender-based violence.
 
MGE 2011 - NGO presentations - 13 May
Marking and tracing, UN Small Arms Process

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

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Afternoon - 13 May 2011
UN Small Arms Process

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

MGE 2011 - Summary Report: Plenary Session: Morning - 13 May 2011
UN Small Arms Process

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