Practical Disarmament

Practical disarmament is not limited to collecting and destroying small arms, light weapons, ammunition, and explosive remnants of war but also involves strengthening the rule of law and promoting public security. A central objective of practical disarmament is to prevent the onset and distribution of armed violence through a combination of approaches. Practical disarmament is often combined with, but distinct from, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR), security sector reform, demand reduction, and a host of other measures.

In its most basic form, practical disarmament consists of a combination of legal reforms to regulate civilian firearms licensing and ownership and technical interventions to collect and destroy retrieved or surplus weapons. Practical disarmament can also be taken as a component of 'disarmament' during DDR programmes. The concept has expanded in recent years beyond simply a technical intervention and now takes into consideration demand factors as well as the accountability and reform of state security entities.


Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR)

The disarmament of combatants from warring groups in armed conflict is vital to establishing the state's monopoly over the use of force in the country. The dissolution of these fighting forces and the reintegration of their former members into society are likewise essential for long-term peace and stability and development of the national economy. Demobilization refers to the process by which parties to a conflict begin to disband their military structures, and combatants begin the transformation into civilian life. It generally entails registration of former combatants, some kind of assistance to enable them to meet their immediate basic needs, discharge, and transportation to their home communities. It may be followed by recruitment into a new, unified military force. Reintegration refers to the process which allows ex-combatants and their families to adapt, economically and socially, to productive civilian life. It generally entails the provision of a package of cash or in-kind compensation, training and job- and income-generating projects. The effectiveness of these measures frequently depends upon other, broader undertakings, such as assistance to returning refugees and internally displaced persons, economic development at the community and national level, infrastructure rehabilitation, truth and reconciliation efforts, and institutional reform. Enhancement of local capacity is often crucial for the long-term success of reintegration.

Women, as peace and consensus builders, as holders of knowledge in their communities, as members of the communities that receive demobilized combatants and as former combatants themselves, possess particular insights and skills that are relevant to DDR, as well as needing particular provisions, services and outputs from DDR. The Small Arms Survey has undertaken considerable case studies of DDR. These have included a combination of regional assessments as well as specific field-based assessments to inform the targeting and monitoring/evaluation strategies on the ground. A selection of cases is included below.


Collection and Reduction

Weapons reduction has a much lengthier history than DDR or SSR. Though a generic concept, it is rooted in early crime prevention initiatives of the 1950s. Practical approaches to reducing weapons availability generally entailed buying them back or voluntary collection programmes. By the 1970s and 1980s, weapons reduction efforts had broadened their focus beyond arms per se to encompass the individual agents that possessed them and efforts to tackle the permissive regulatory structures that facilitated acquisition.

Practical approaches to weapons collection and reduction have thus evolved and range from reduction by command (phase one) to voluntary reduction (phase two.) Weapons reduction pursued 'by command' often forms part of a general strategy of disarmament during and immediately after peace negotiations. It is generally administered by peacekeepers and is organized, centralized, supervised, public, involuntary and collective. By way of contrast, voluntary weapons reduction and destruction programmes are often introduced later on and are designed to reduce civilian arms possession. These "phase two" interventions advance a combination of collective or individual incentives, are decentralized and often preceded by various penalties to deter illegal ownership. Examples of phase two interventions include "weapons for development programmes," "weapons lotteries," voluntary amnesties and "weapons-free zones."


Surplus Destruction

The destruction of weapons and ammunition surplus to national requirements eases the task of stockpile management and reduces proliferation risks.