May 9, 2016 | Uncategorized
From 5 to 9 of September, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of the Bahamas, carried out the pilot forensic ballistics collaborative competency testing exercise. These exercises form part of the third round of implementation under the framework of the UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
The collaborative exercises are a series of practical and multiple choice questions on the competencies of small arms ammunition examination, examination of firearms and their components and trigger pull and travel examination. The exercises – based on UNLIREC’s standard operating procedures – were developed as a preparatory step for a regional framework of competency testing, at the same time, they can be used as an internal assessment tool for the forensic science institutes and laboratories of the region.
During this process, four police officers from the Scientific Support Services were assessed. These assessments also support the internal identification of existing gaps in competency testing for forensic ballistics.
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 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
Dominican Republic submitted its voluntary national implementation action plan to the 1540 Committee in November 2015 demonstrating its commitment to the mandate of the UNSCR 1540 (2004) and aiding the country to implement its obligations. Within its action plan, Dominican Republic mapped out a series of specific objectives and activities as well as committed, as one of the country`s priorities, to strengthen its legal framework, including the modernization of WMD legislation.
Accordingly from 29 to 1 October 2015, a team of legal experts from UNLIREC traveled to Santo Domingo to hold a legal drafting session with Dominican counterparts. Upon request, UNLIREC’s legal specialists returned to the Dominican Republic from 5 to 6 April 2016, to follow up on the draft WMD law that was developed during the previous work-session and to provide comments and feedback. UNLIREC’s specialized legal team was joined by a former member of the Group of Experts to the 1540 Committee who provided technical support on the topic.
This work-session, which included 21 (5 female) legal advisors and representations from the various relevant institutions, focused on reviewing the draft WMD law in line with the provisions of Resolution 1540. In this regard, the discussions were focused on ensuring that the text of this document meets the obligations of this international instrument on the nonproliferation of WMD.
As a next step to this process, UNLIREC and the technical experts from Dominican Republic will continue reviewing the draft WMD law. Likewise, UNLIREC will support the country in developing additional subsidiary regulations including a national control list, once the bill of law is finalized.
This draft law constitutes a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to strengthen implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004) and will provide Dominican Republic with a solid legal basis for adopting trade controls and measures to counter the proliferation of WMD.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Apr 25, 2016 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the Government of El Salvador carried out several activities in April, aimed at concluding the first phase of the project, entitled:Strengthening Oversight and Building Capacities for Small Arms Control and Nonproliferation in the Private Security Sector, which they have been implementing in the country since July 2015.
During the month of April 2016, the secondary marking of small arms belonging to private security companies that participate in the project continued. Since 2013, the government of El Salvador has a regulation on secondary marking – – taking place after the initial marking phase, which occurs at the time of manufacture– – in line with international agreements on combating the illicit trafficking of small arms signed by the government. The secondary marking helps to track firearms until they reach their final legal user and improve the weapons inventory management of the companies. During the first phase of the project, UNLIREC has facilitated the marking of more than 500 firearms belonging to thirteen security companies.
Furthermore, UNLIREC and the government of El Salvador carried out an event that recounted the results obtained during the first phase of the project. Among the results the training on firearms and ammunition warehouses management of more than 20 private security companies, and the technical advice on stockpile management and physical security measures of five companies stand out. All of these activities are in line with the UN International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG).
During this event, UNLIREC distributed material for the weapons rooms of all private security companies involved in the project. UNLIREC donated devices commonly known as bullet-traps, which consist of metallic cylinders where individuals receiving or handing over weapons can ensure that the firearms has been made safe by placing it inside the bullet trap which absorbs and contains an errant round of ammunition. . In addition, the companies received warning stickers of dangerous materials according to the UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN Orange Book). These stickers must be placed in the vicinity where ammunition is stored.
This project, which provides technical assistance to both the national authorities in charge of regulating the private security sector nationwide, and the companies that provide security services, is implemented in collaboration with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) with the financial support of the Federal Republic of Germany. The project`s main goal is to promote small arms and ammunition control standards, good practices and initiatives of global recognition, and good governance in the private security sector.
Through this assistance package, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States strengthen public security and the implementation of the UN Programme of Action on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Apr 19, 2016 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) continues to support State Parties in the region to implement the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). On 19 April 2016, UNLIREC – in collaboration with the Institutional Directorate on Public Security Affairs (DIASP) inaugurated its Arms Trade Treaty Implementation Course (ATT-IC) in Panama.
20 participants, representing nine institutions, analyzed the arms trade context in Latin America and the Caribbean, classified arms and elements under the application of the Treaty, tested their knowledge of the regulatory provisions that need to be applied, and familiarized themselves with end-use and end-user documentation. Responding to an explicit request by Panamanian authorities, UNLIREC`s team of experts dedicated a session on analyzing the ATT obligations on the transit of conventional arms. In this regard, they presented different national control system models, with the goal of providing examples that could inspire Panama in its own design of its national control system. UNLIREC concluded the course by conducting two practical exercises, one of which was dedicated to the evaluation of a transit request, in line with the ATT obligations, from the perspective of the national control authority.
The ATT-IC course, which is four days in duration, has the objective to provide States Members with sufficient tools to ensure the effective implementation of the Treaty so that adequate control mechanisms can be established for all international transfers of arms, ammunitions and their parts and components in order to avoid their illegal diversion and their use in criminal activities.
Thanks to the financial support of Germany, this training course and all instruction materials are available to ATT States Parties in Latin America and the Caribbean. To date, 21 countries in the region have ratified the ATT, which came into force on 24 December 2014: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominica, The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.
For more information about UNLIREC, visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Apr 15, 2016 | Uncategorized
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), as a member of the United Nations Joint Programme “Strengthening Human Security and Community Resilience by Fostering Peaceful Coexistence in Peru”, participated as a speaker at a seminar entitled, “Citizen Security from a Human Security approach” held on April 15, 2016 in Trujillo, the capital city of the northern department of La Libertad.
This seminar, which was organized by the UN Joint Programme for Human Security in collaboration with the Provincial Municipality of Trujillo, shared, through a series of presentations, the different activities and approaches of institutions and organizations involved in citizen security in Trujillo.
Among the issues discussed in the seminar, prevention strategies against drugs and violence, alternative measures for juvenile offenders and measures for arms control were highlighted. This last issue was extensively explained by UNLIREC in a presentation that detailed options on public policies for arms and ammunition control and armed violence prevention and reduction.
Furthermore, UNLIREC presented the results of a survey that the Centre conducted at the end of 2015 about values, norms, and attitudes towards violence and the use of firearms among the population of the Province of Trujillo. This survey also studied the views of the population on a possible Voluntary Surrender of Weapons (PEVA) Programme. The results of the survey showed that about 90% of the respondents consider that the possession of a weapon must be authorized by the government and that they would encourage their acquaintances to participate in the aforementioned proposed PEVA Programme.
Finally, UNLIREC stressed that arms control policies must be coordinated with other initiatives since armed violence is not just a security and justice issue. Often, problems of citizenship security involve the presence of firearms and have multidimensional aspects, therefore it must be addressed in a multi-sectoral manner.
UNLIREC, as part of the UN Joint Programme for Human Security, conducted this seminar in accordance with other actions that UNLIREC develops in conjunction with public institutions and local authorities of Trujillo in order to prevent and reduce crime, gender-based violence and adolescent involvement in criminal activities.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Apr 4, 2016 | Uncategorized
United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/65/69) recognizes the specific contribution of women at the local, national, regional and sub-regional levels in the prevention and reduction of armed violence in non-conflict contexts. The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) has continuously championed women as “forces of change” and is providing States with the necessary tools to incorporate gender perspectives into small arms control and disarmament efforts.
It was within this context that UNLIREC undertook a specialized course on managing firearms and ammunition as evidence in collaboration with the Government of the Dominican Republic from 4-6 April in Santo Domingo. The UNLIREC developed and designed course was led by an all-women team comprised of three Latin American women who are at the top of their respective fields, including Pamela Romero from Mexico (crime scene management), and Arabeska Sanchez from Honduras (forensic ballistics) and Natasha Leite from Brazil (armed violence reduction). The 22 course participants honed their capabilities to manage and properly handle firearms and ammunition as evidence at crime scenes, and address the due sequencing of procedures at these scenes. Skills transferred during the course will improve national tracing procedures and facilitate the implementation of international firearms instruments adhered to by the Dominican Republic. Course participants acknowledged that – in stark contrast to previous years – over half of the forensic ballistic teams at the Institute of Forensic Sciences and the Scientific Police are female firearms examiners. The same gender parity was reflected in the course with half of the eight firearms examiners present being women. “Curiosity”, it was said, and “vocation are better indicators of success in the field than gender”. The course also highlighted the interaction between technical considerations and the social, cultural and institutional contexts in which they take place.
This training course was carried out within the framework of UNLIREC’s operational forensic ballistics project in the Caribbean. This project is supported financially by both the government of the United States and the government of Canada.
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 UN 2001 Programme of Action on Small Arms.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
