'The increasing recognition to the role of gender perspectives in arms control; has produced implicit and explicit requirements to incorporate gender into arms control architecture, instruments, policies, and programmes. Much work has been done—especially since the official dawn of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in 2000—yet much remains when it comes to translating principles to action.

'Regional organizations and their member states have developed and promoted small arms control instruments, best practice guides, and mechanisms to enable assistance and cooperation to prevent, detect, and address the illicit proliferation of small arms. The sixth panel of the Small Arms Survey 2020 online forum ‘Taking stock of action on the illicit small arms trade’ provided a space for practitioners working in the Americas, the Caribbean, and Europe to share their knowledge...'

National Action Plans (NAPs) are critical for systematically and effectively implementing, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating small arms control measures within states. NAPs clearly elaborate national priorities and facilitate coordination between national government agencies and key stakeholders, as well as with external partners and donors. The fifth panel of the Small Arms Survey 2020 online forum ‘Taking stock of action on the illicit small arms trade’ brought together actors from the national, regional, and international levels to share experiences from their work on NAPs.

'The League of Arab States (LAS), INTERPOL, the Small Arms Survey, and the World Customs Organization (WCO) — supported by the EU — are working together on a joint project to combat the illicit trade in, and proliferation of, small arms and light weapons in LAS Member States.

'Next year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (PoA). The opening panel of the Small Arms Survey 2020 online forum ‘Taking stock of action on the illicit small arms trade’ therefore reflected on the impact of this landmark document on action to address illicit small arms proliferation during the past two decades. This blog post provides a short snapshot of the opening panel discussions on the PoA achievements thus far...'

'When women are killed it tends to happen in the domestic sphere, and the perpetrator is often a current or former partner (Alvazzi del Frate, 2011, p. 114; Shaw, 2013, p. 18). Depending on the circumstances, such violence can be categorized as femicide, which is a form of gender-based violence (GBV).

'In July 2001, United Nations (UN) member states adopted by consensus the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (PoA). It is a UN instrument that outlines measures to be taken to regulate small arms throughout their life cycle in order to prevent their diversion to the illicit small arms trade, and improve the detection of illicit small arms and subsequently remove them from circulation.

'On 14 March 2018, Rio de Janeiro city councilwoman Marielle Franco and her driver Anderson Gomes were shot dead in an execution-style killing. Franco was a well-known human rights advocate whose personal background reflected the groups she fought for: a black lesbian woman raised in poverty in one the city’s most notorious favelas (slums), Maré. Her assassination made news across the world and led to major local protests.

The diversion of conventional arms from licit to illicit entities can occur at any stage of the arms transfer chain. Preventing diversion therefore requires varied measures that effectively tackle the issue along the chain. Check out our infographic summarizing these possible measures.

As has frequently been observed, ammunition and weapons are inextricably linked; without the former the latter cannot function. The effective regulation and control of the production, transfer, storage and destruction of ammunition is therefore vital to broader efforts to prevent, reduce and combat uncontrolled or illicit small arms and light weapons (SALW) holdings and flows.