May 21, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) is moving forward in Mexico with the implementation of activities under its project entitled Oversight and Building Capacities for Small Arms Control and Non-proliferation in the Private Security Sector.
From 21-25 May 2018, UNLIREC carried out a series of activities to promote good governance in the private security sector. Federal and state authorities, as well as private security entrepreneurs, attended this Executive Seminar, which addressed good practices, international standards and norms that strengthen arms control and contribute, not only to better regulate the private security sector, but also to its professionalization.
With a view to educating the technical staff of private security companies, as well as private security regulators at the state level, UNLIREC hosted a two-day technical workshop for employees responsible for the oversight and stockpile management. More than 50 officials were trained on how to incorporate physical security procedures at weapons and ammunition stockpiles in order to mitigate the risk of arms diversion towards the illicit market. The content of the workshop is based on the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs).
Finally, UNLIREC, along with the Mexican authorities, held a round-table discussion on non-lethal weapons as a means of facilitating a forum for government authorities to discuss their use by private security companies, as well as the respective oversight and regulatory regimes, while also considering norms and legal and technical issues.
The assistance provided is made possible through the financial support of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. By providing assistance to Latin American and Caribbean States, UNLIREC contributes to the enhancement of public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information on UNLIREC, please visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org)
May 16, 2018 | Uncategorized
From 16-17 May 2018, UNLIREC carried out its third sub-regional meeting for Caribbean States on forensic ballistics at its headquarters in Lima, Peru. The meeting built upon two previous regional encounters held in Trinidad and Tobago in 2016 and the Dominican Republic in 2017 where States highlighted the need for improved sharing of ballistics information at national and regional levels.
Over 35 State representatives, ballistic experts and international organizations were present, including INTERPOL and CARICOM IMPACS. The two-day meeting focused on leveraging ballistic data to combat gun crime and illicit firearms trafficking, improving coordination and ballistic information sharing among agencies as well as integrating quality controls and standard operating procedures in laboratories across the region. The event formed part of UNLIREC’s region-wide assistance package on operational forensic ballistics which is funded by the governments of Canada and the United States.
Eight Caribbean Member States, including Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago, were represented at both the operational and policy levels. Participants highlighted current practices in, inter alia, firearms tracing as well as ballistic information sharing via the use of double casts and equipment previously provided by UNLIREC during project implementation. The need to improve the communication and coordination between forensic units and criminal investigative departments was underscored as a way to ensure that the forensic data and intelligence currently being generated is effectively utilized.
Representatives spoke on the progress made by their respective States since the inception of UNLIREC´s Assistance Package as well as on the resource challenges being faced by firearms examiners and forensic personnel in terms of human resource capacity; laboratory accreditation and quality management; and technology.
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.
May 15, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) is moving forward with the implementation of the arms control project aimed at the private security sector in Jamaica. This project was officially launched in November 2017 with the financial support of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
On May 15-16, 2018, at the request of the Government of Jamaica, UNLIREC held a technical workshop on international stockpile management standards. The main objective was to educate the operating staff of private security companies across the country and the initiative was, therefore, aimed at employees responsible for stockpile management. In order to mitigate the risk of arms diversion, training was centred on physical security measures for the weapons storage facilities of security companies. The workshop was attended by 13 companies and was based on the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATGs).
By providing assistance to Latin American and Caribbean States, UNLIREC contributes to the enhancement of public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information on UNLIREC, please visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
May 7, 2018 | Uncategorized
This year, the Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence takes place on May 7-14, and focuses on the theme: “End the Crisis of Gun Violence.” In observance of this Week, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) has published a recent study on “the necessary linkage between legislation on gender-based violence and the regulations and controls governing small arms.”
The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence is an annual initiative hosted by the global network of civil society with a view to creating a forum that highlights the international campaign to stop the proliferation and misuse of small arms. This initiative promotes the effective implementation of the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and raises awareness of armed violence and its consequences in society. One of the themes this year is the enactment or strengthening of legislation to disarm perpetrators of domestic violence.
Recently, UNLIREC prepared a legal study that analyzes the link between the legislation on small arms and the legislation governing the prevention and eradication of violence against women, with specific reference to Peru. The study presents a conceptual approach to gender-based violence and violence against women which then emphasizes the need for more effective national legislation to address the impact of the possession and carrying of small arms on women. The study also proposes a series of conclusions and recommendations on how to tackle the problem of small arms and gender-based violence.
The complete study can be downloaded at the following link: https://www.unlirec.org/documents/Estudiolegal_ViolenciaMujer.pdf
By providing assistance to Latin American and Caribbean States, UNLIREC contributes to the enhancement of public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information on UNLIREC, please visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Apr 19, 2018 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues to assist States in the region in their efforts to effectively implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On 19-20 April, UNLIREC and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Guatemala held a Technical Workshop to Analyse Legislative Loopholes in the Implementation of the ATT.
The workshop was second of the project activities funded by the Arms Trade Treaty Voluntary Trust Fund, of which Guatemala is a beneficiary state and in which UNLIREC, at the request of the Guatemalan authorities, is an implementing partner.
The workshop was directed to national authorities from sectors involved in controlling conventional arms transfers or from other areas responsible for the implementation of the ATT. As such, the workshop had 23 participants from various state entities, such as Directorate-General for the Control of Arms and Ammunition, National Civil Police, Customs Authorities, INTERPOL, Directorate-General for Private Security Services, as well as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
UNLIREC presented the preliminary conclusions of its analysis of the Guatemala´s national legislation and its compliance with the treaty provisions. This presentation opened the dialogue seeking to identify gaps in the legislation and to propose ways to amend it to advance in the implementation of the legislative ambit of the treaty. The discussions contributed towards an improved final legislative review document as well as towards the establishment of a set of practical recommendations, aiding the national process of effectively complying with the international instrument.
Apr 11, 2018 | Uncategorized
From 11-12 April 2018, UNLIREC and El Salvador held a workshop entitled “Discussion on the Preparation of a National Control List” in San Salvador. In attendance were legal advisors and technical staff responsible for ATT implementation from the Policy Directorate, the Logistics Directorate and the Arms and Explosives Division of the Ministry of National Defence, Customs Authorities, the Joint General Staff of the Armed Forces and the National Civil Police.
The main objective of this workshop was to emphasize, as prescribed by the ATT, the creation of a control list as an essential part of a national control system for conventional arms transfers. As such, among the topics discussed were the relevant criteria to be included in the list in alignment with the Treaty, as well as the need to consider the national context. Several national control lists implemented by countries both within and outside the region were also presented as examples. These discussions contribute significantly towards successful ATT implementation on a national level.
The UNLIREC team likewise addressed the obligation, as mandated by the Treaty, to submit initial and annual reports to the ATT Secretariat. The participants acknowledged the need to improve coordination among the various areas within the Ministry of Defence, as well as to keep more precise and detailed records to feed into these reports. Representatives opined that the submission of these reports and the registration of conventional arms could fall under the jurisdiction of the National Authority envisaged in a draft decree, which is currently under review.
This workshop formed part of the joint ATT project in El Salvador, funded by the ATT Secretariat’s Voluntary Trust Fund, and concludes the project’s series of three activities, which began in November 2017.
