Perpetrators

Understanding why individuals and groups resort to armed violence - and why some of them do not - is essential for designing successful interventions and policies to reduce armed violence. Careful examination of the perpetrators of armed violence, in particular of their gender and socio-economic profile, objectives, resources, and choice of weapons, is particularly insightful. Across societies, young men are the population group most likely to become involved in armed violence. They are easily attracted to gangs, militias and other types of armed groups, membership to which brings them a perceived sense of respect and social advancement. In conflict situations and contexts of high criminality, the availability of weapons can turn otherwise harmless kids into child soldiers, who become as likely to be shot as to kill others.
 
 

Gender: Young Men

Regardless of the countries in which they live, young men represent a disproportionately high share of the perpetrators and victims of gun-related, lethal violence. Yet, it is important to stress that only a small minority of young men becomes involved in armed violence.

For those young men, the recourse to violence is learned. Young men take their lessons from the world around them. If unable to fulfil socially defined masculine roles, they adopt violent alternatives as a mean of asserting their place in society.

While studies of youth violence have long considered the role played by young men, small arms-specific research on the issue is nascent. A growing number of case studies and cross-country comparisons have nevertheless pointed strongly to the pivotal role of young men in armed violence.

A number of policy analyses provide important critiques of the structure and impact of interventions designed to curtail young men's access to guns and to tackle the many reasons that lead young men to become involved in armed violence.
 
 

Armed Groups

Armed groups, whether rebel movements, pro-government militias, or politically neutral vigilante groups, have become the primary actors of contemporary conflict. In 2004, all armed conflicts were intra-state, meaning that they involved one or more armed groups.

While a growing body of literature is focusing on the nexus between armed groups and human security, small arms-specific research remains relatively scarce. Case studies and group profiles nevertheless provide important insights as to groups' arsenals, weapons sources and management, and their use of small arms.
 
 

Children Associated with Fighting Forces (CAFFs)

Case studies and personal testimonies from underaged soldiers employed in many contemporary and recent conflicts highlight the diverse functions young people are assigned by armed forces. Many young men and women directly exposed to and involved in armed conflicts are both victims and perpetrators of war crimes.

According to the UNICEF definition, a CAFF is "any person under 18 years of age who is part of any kind of regular or irregular armed force in any capacity, including, but not limited to, cooks, porters, messengers and those accompanying such groups other than as purely family members. It includes girls recruited for sexual purposes and forced marriages. It does not, therefore, only refer to a child who is carrying or has carried arms." (UNICEF, 1997).

While reliable numbers of affected CAFFs are rare, they are particularly frequent among armed forces that rely predominantly on small arms and light weapons in their war strategies. Specific analysis of the variety of small arms use against and by young soldiers is only beginning to emerge.