Aug 14, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 5-6 August 2020, UNLIREC held an online seminar for Colombian Authorities to highlight the importance of ammunition control measures for national security and present technical guidelines that could strengthen national efforts to combat illicit trafficking and misuse of ammunition for conventional weapons.
Over 50 participants from national institutions such as the Colombian Military Industry (INDUMIL), the Directorate of Customs and Excise, Forensic and Criminal Intelligence agencies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Police , and the National Prosecutor’s Office were engaged in discussions with UNLIREC on fundamental concepts and practices contained in international technical guidelines regarding ammunition control measures, including physical security and stockpile management, as well as marking, tracing, and destruction.
The seminar promoted dialogue among relevant agencies on the importance of implementing effective ammunition control measures to reduce the risk of illegal proliferation and diversion. The Centre sensitized participants to the contrast in the application of control measures in small arms and light weapons versus ammunition; the latter being addressed in a limited way. The urgency to address this was highlighted, given its impact on armed violence and illicit trafficking in the region.
During the sessions, participants emphasised the need to strengthen national legislation regarding ammunition control and the importance of incorporating the technical guidelines to support their efforts in ammunition control.
The Seminar was organized with the financial support of the Government of Germany.
For more information on UNLIREC, visit www.unlirec.org. Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer at cowl@unlirec.org.
Aug 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 7 July 2020, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) carried out its first regional webinar on how small arms control can help to prevent violence against women in the time of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
UNLIREC launched the webinar by explaining the context of the impact of small arms on violence against women (VAW), with particular emphasis on the negative impact that COVID-19 confinement measures are having on dramatic increases in domestic violence. Two expert panelists also presented the national perspectives of Argentina (academy) and Mexico (National Institute for Women) regarding VAW in the context of COVID-19 and the connections to firearms, as well as existing public policies to address the problem.
The webinar concluded with an overall description of the findings and recommendations found in a UNLIREC-led research initiative. The research identified national small arms control measures adopted in the Latin American and Caribbean region during the COVID-19 pandemic that could have an impact on the prevention and eradication of VAW. In other words, on the one hand, how to include arms control in strategies to prevent, address and eradicate VAW, and, on the other hand, how to incorporate a gender perspective into firearms control and regulations measures.
220 people from 23 different countries registered for the webinar, including representatives from different public sectors (foreign affairs, defence, security, education, women’s organizations), as well as academic organizations, from civil society in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and from UN agencies.
Participants highlighted the importance of participating in such regional meetings to address the link between firearms control and VAW . In that regard, it is important to note that the activity was part of the gender and arms control programme (funded by Canada, the European Union and Sweden) and that – due to the wide interest generated thanks to this webinar – UNLIREC will continue to carry out similar webinars at the national level.
Aug 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 14 July, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered a webinar on addressing firearms possession and use in Latin American schools. UNLIREC’s recent study on the matter was presented during the one-day on-line seminar. This study included a series of initiatives and measures that have been implemented in some countries of the region, along with various recommendations to strengthen the responses to this phenomenon.
This webinar involved the participation of a representative from the Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica and a specialist in citizen security issues from Peru. Both provided their national perspectives vis-à-vis the firearms phenomenon in school and the challenges this represents.
This webinar was open to the public and involved the participation of more than 120 people, including representatives of the sectors of education, security, interior, defense, foreign affairs, as well as United Nations agencies, civil society organizations, specialists and public interested in this topic.
Considering that incidents involving the presence and use of firearms in schools across the region have been increasingly recurring over the past few decades, there was broad agreement on the need to pay greater attention to this phenomenon, as well as to have specific responses and tools to guarantee a comprehensive and articulated approach. Above and beyond its most visible impacts (injuries and deaths), firearms in schools represent a serious obstacle to guaranteeing safe and violence-free learning spaces for boys, girls, adolescents and young people in the region.
This activity, made possible thanks to the funding provided by the Government of Sweden, forms part of a series of virtual forums that UNLIREC will be organizing with the aim of facilitating dialogue concerning this lamentable and growing phenomenon.
Aug 10, 2020 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC held its three-part Ballistic Intelligence Management Workshop for personnel from the Royal Barbados Police Force during June and July. Due to the COVID pandemic, the centre had to restructure its training to a virtual format.
The first activity, delivered from 15 to 26 of June, focused on the creation of a physical Open Case File for the Firearm Examiners. The creation, maintenance and searching of an OCF are powerful tools in the provision of both intelligence and evidence.
UNLIREC´s Technical advisor guided RBPF officials on how to document and populate the Physical OCF. Training content included, inter alia, OCF Search Protocols, Monitoring Forms, Documentation of Hit Reports for Dissemination. Physical crime scene ballistic exhibits from unsolved gun crimes were reviewed and subsequently placed in the OCF, according to relevant characteristics and marks. Three firearm examiners and one IBIS Technician participated in this first activity.
As part of its assistance to create and implement the OCF, UNLIREC procured the specialized evidence boxes and labels for Barbados in preparation for the Open Case File component of the Ballistic Intelligence Workshop.
Following the completion of the OCF workshop in June, UNLIREC advanced discussions around ballistic intelligence management and inter agency coordination. During 13-17 July, a number of bilateral meetings were held with personnel from various units within the RBPF, including, inter alia, the Senior Command Team, Special Branch, Firearm Examiners Section, Major Incident Room, Police Command Center, Major Crimes Unit, Drug Squad and Financial Crimes Investigation Unit.
The workshop culminated on 17 July with an online roundtable meeting on broader ballistic intelligence management issues. Some of the topics discussed include documenting and disseminating HIT reports, mapping and analysis of firearms and ammunition crime as well as inter-agency coordination. A total of 16 RBPF officials participated in the workshops.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean as part of its commitment to support Member States in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms. This specialized training was made possible thanks to the support of the government of the United States of America.
Jul 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
From 23-26 June 2020, UNLIREC participated in the Sub-regional training on Strategic Trade Control Enforcement organized by the World Customs Administration (WCO). The online training was held to support more than 180 Caribbean customs officers in strengthening their skills to identify strategic goods commonly traded in the Caribbean and that could be illegally diverted to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) proliferation activities.
UNLIREC was invited to deliver a presentation to introduce its Guide to Control List and the WMD Caribbean Focus List, which are practical tools aimed at providing States with an easy-to-read guide to implement national licensing frameworks to regulate strategic trade flows and to support custom and border officers with the identification of strategic goods commonly traded in said region. UNLIREC’s WMD Focus List of dual-use materials, which was developed based on the Caribbean trading context, was used by instructors as a practical tool to showcase the physical elements to consider in identifying strategic goods.
UNLIREC is delivering an assistance project to support Latin American and Caribbean countries in their implementation of relevant international instruments and initiatives in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation of WMDs, most notably, UNSC Resolution 1540 (2004).
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org.). Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
Jul 23, 2020 | Uncategorized
Arms control measures occupy a prominent spot in both national and international security agendas. In contrast, specific measures for the control of ammunition tend to be more limited. Given the increasing need to tackle proliferation, diversion and trafficking, UNLIREC reviewed relevant legislation of Latin American and Caribbean States and subsequently developed a regional study entitled “Ammunition Control in Latin America and the Caribbean”.
The study was launched on 23 July to over 40 officials from national state agencies with responsibilities for ammunition controls and civil society representatives from across Latin America. Through this webinar, UNLIREC sought to underscore the need for the establishment and effective implementation of ammunition control measures, given that the proliferation and diversion of ammunition, and the lack of appropriate security conditions during stockpiling and handling, ultimately contribute to armed violence and illicit trafficking in the region.
The study focused on the legal norms that Latin American and Caribbean States have enacted regarding ammunition control and thus, it does not include an analysis of how those provisions are applied in the region. The Centre presented some key provisions that are contained in the legal frameworks of the region with an emphasis on aspects such as competent national authorities that apply ammunition controls; regulations on ammunition production/manufacturing; international transfer controls of ammunition; trade controls of ammunition at the national level; consumption reports of dealers and users of ammunition; security measures in ammunition transportation; ammunition stockpile security measures; ammunition marking; ammunition reloading and final disposal. Some legal provisions that are not so common but relevant for the region were also highlighted, including ammunition marking.
UNLIREC hopes that both the study and the webinar will contribute to promoting national and regional dialogue on the importance of implementing effective ammunition control measures to tackle its illegal proliferation and trafficking. UNLIREC’s Legal Study: “Ammunition Control in Latin America and the Caribbean” will be made available on its website shortly. The study was developed with the financial support of the Government of Germany.
For more information on UNLIREC, visit www.unlirec.org. Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer at cowl@unlirec.org.
