Measures and Initiatives

Many small arms and light weapons measures aim to minimize the risk of weapons and ammunition ending up in the wrong hands for the wrong purposes. This is typically accomplished by strengthening physical control over the weapon or piece of ammunition. Sometimes, it involves permanently removing the item from circulation (e.g. surplus destruction). These control and reduction measures usually target a specific phase of the weapon/ammunition life cycle. They include:

1. manufacturing controls
2. regulation of civilian possession
3. stockpile management and security
4. international transfer controls
5. brokering controls
6. practical disarmament

Weapons marking, record-keeping, and tracing, by contrast, intervene at various stages of the weapon/ammunition life cycle.

Most of the measures listed above influence the supply of small arms and light weapons. Another set of measures addresses weapons acquisition and use (demand, perpetrators, security sector reform).

Small arms measures and initiatives have been adopted and implemented at the community, national, regional, and international levels. Despite considerable differences in the level of regional commitment to the small arms issue, many regional measures have established important precedents for broader, global action. International measures, including those adopted by the UN and other arrangements, fill gaps in regional activity and bind states worldwide to essential minimum standards.

Manufacturing Controls

The first step in the small arm/light weapon life cycle - and the first opportunity for effective regulation - is production.

Regulation of Civilian Possession

Most of the world's firearms are held, not by national armed forces or police, but by civilians. Regulation of civilian possession, ownership, storage, carrying, and use of small arms and light weapons is key to broader efforts to minimize misuse.

Stockpile Management and Security

The leakage of small arms/light weapons stocks helps fuel armed conflict and the illicit market generally. The secure management of such stocks is essential in curbing the uncontrolled proliferation of weapons and their ammunition.

International Transfer Controls

The international export, import, and in-transit movement of small arms, light weapons and their ammunition are essential intervention points in the weapon/ammunition life cycle. Corresponding measures include criteria designed to underpin national export licensing decisions, as well as control mechanisms that reduce the risk of diversion to unintended end-users and end uses (e.g. end-user certificates). The important issue of arms embargoes is dealt with separately, below.

Marking, Record-keeping, and Tracing

Successful tracing, dependent on proper marking and record-keeping, allows concerned governments and organizations to reconstitute a specific transfer route and eventually the point of diversion to undesirable end-users. The International Tracing Instrument, adopted by the UN General Assembly in December 2005, is the key measure in this area.

Regional Measures

The most extensive small arms measures tend to be found at the regional level. The following sections, organized by region or regional organization, include the full text of significant regional measures as well as references to publications that review their content and implementation.

International Measures

The key actor at the international level is the United Nations. The Wassenaar Arrangement, comprising arms exporting countries from around the world, has also adopted several important small arms/light weapons measures. These two organizations do not, however, exhaust the list of international measures (see other international measures and initiatives). The following sections include the full text of key international measures as well as references to publications that review their content and implementation.