Nov 25, 2014 | Uncategorized
Lima, 25 November 2014 – Coinciding with the celebrations of the UN International Day on the Elimination of Violence against Women, UNODA’s Regional Disarmament Centre in Lima (UNLIREC) launched a new publication aimed at maintaining international momentum in progressing towards women’s empowerment in the security field. The UNLIREC publication entitled “Forces of Change II: Recognizing the contribution of Latin American and Caribbean Women to Disarmament” pays tribute to the women who capture the essence of resolution 65/69 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010 on women, disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.
In early 2014, UNLIREC reached out to all Latin American and Caribbean States to nominate women responsible for the implementation of an extensive range of disarmament matters. The contributions were voluntary in nature and came from all parts of the region. The response was overwhelmingly positive and UNLIREC witnessed an outpouring of interest from, most notably, Argentina, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago.
In ‘Forces of Change II’, readers will find the stories of policy-makers, diplomats, security forces representatives, justice officials, and civil society workers who dedicate their lives, day in and day out, to advancing the women, peace and security agenda from their unique scope of action. Ambassador Maria Cristina Perceval of Argentina, one of the eighty women featured, reflected on the work being carried out in the region: “Disarmament is a life project, an ethical decision and a political commitment. Disarming inequalities, hatred, violence, discrimination, injustice, intolerance, fear, and domination is the means of ensuring that every conflict that destroys us […] ceases to exist”.
In a similar vein, the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Angela Kane, acknowledged UNLIREC’s publication as an emblematic illustration of the valuable contribution of women to disarmament efforts, citing that “the only true means of fully implementing the spirit of landmark resolutions, such as resolution 65/69, is to genuinely embrace the crucial role played by women and secure their place as ‘forces of change’ in disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control.”
UNODA and its Regional Centres are dedicated to assisting States in their implementation of Resolution 65/69. The publication launched today, is the second of its kind. UNLIREC invites you to participate in the third edition of this publication, or recommend any exceptional women working in the field of disarmament, by writing to [officeofthedirector@unlirec.org] with your nominations.
Nov 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
Trujillo,19 November 2014 – The UN System in Peru , under the Joint Programme on Human Security, and in close cooperation with the National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civilian Use (SUCAMEC), will carry out a Technical Workshop on the Illicit Trafficking of Small Arms and Ammunition and their Use as Evidence from 19 to 21 November in the Police Complex San Andres of the Criminal Investigation Division and the Judicial Support Department – CID.
The workshop is aimed at strengthening capacities of District authorities to combat illicit small arms trafficking and possession that causes undue harm in the communities of La Libertad and Trujillo. The United Nations will lead a specialized 3 day technical workshop that will address different topics and measures aimed at preventing and combating trafficking of small arms and ammunition and in this way contributing to a decrease of armed violence.
The workshop targets 35 participants from the Peruvian National Police, SUCAMEC and the Ministry of Public Affairs, who will receive training on topics such as classification of firearms and ammunition, modalities of illicit small arms trafficking, national regulations, and criminal and administrative procedures, as well as correct crime scene management and the chain of custody of evidence under the new penal processing code. The instructors include national and international experts at the UN (UNLIREC), SUCAMEC, PNP and the Judicial Investigation Body of Costa Rica.
Apart from transmitting technical knowledge on the issue of firearms and proper control measures, the workshop seeks to strengthen the coordination, communication and cooperation of professionals working in these areas with the aim of maximizing their individual and collective strengths to address crimes related to arms and ammunition. The workshop will include a theoretical part and a practical exercise in which the participants will apply the knowledge acquired during the training session.
The event is financed by the UN Joint Programme, which is made up of 5 different agencies. One of the agencies, United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) with its headquarters in Lima, is responsible for teaching this workshop and other activities on arms control within the framework of the Joint Programme.
For more information about the UN activities in Trujillo, please contact: James Shaw, Coordinate of the UN Joint Programme, “Strengthening Human Security and Community Resilience by Fostering Peaceful Coexistence in Peru”- Regional Headquarters of Identity of La Libertad—Plaza de Armas, Historic Centre, Trujillo- james.shaw@unodc.org
Nov 13, 2014 | Uncategorized
On 13 November 2014 UNLIREC organized a roundtable on incorporating gender and youth approaches when implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA) and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). The roundtable, which was organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, responded to requests by States in the region for UNLIREC support to their implementation of international conventional arms regulation and control and instruments.
With financial support from Australia, the roundtable assembled 23 representatives from governments, international organizations and academia, bringing together expertise on gender and conventional arms control. Experts gathered to review existing laws, policies and implementation mechanisms for controlling arms and preventing armed violence, particularly gender-based violence.
The roundtable highlighted good practices in incorporating gender and youth approaches in disarmament and arms control programmes, and evaluated practical ways to include gender in export assessments covered by the ATT.
The feedback received during this roundtable will help to enhance the gender-sensitive approaches mainstreamed in UNLIREC’s new ‘ATT Implementation Course’ and accompanying simulation exercises. This three-day course, which has been successfully piloted and is now available to requesting States, complements resources provided by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA).
The perspectives and best practices exchanged during the expert roundtable will also be used to make UNLIREC’s new ‘export assessment tool’ more effective in reducing the risk of weapons being used to commit acts of violence, particularly against women and youth.
States in Latin America and the Caribbean have made considerable progress in the implementation of the PoA, which was adopted by the United Nations in 2001 as an instrument to prevent and combat trafficking in small arms and light weapons. Those States have also been strong supporters of the ATT, which was adopted in 2013 and will enter into force on 24 December 2014.
To date, the following 15 States Latin America and the Caribbean have ratified the Treaty: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Uruguay.
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).
Nov 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
The Government of Peru, in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) through its Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), hosted a regional workshop on the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004) for South American States.
The workshop takes place on 11-13 November 2014 in Lima and is organized with funds provided by the European Union, the Republic of Korea, Norway and the United States of America.
The Security Council, acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, unanimously adopted resolution 1540 (2004) on 28 April 2004 obliging all States to enforce effective measures and establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery to non-State actors.
To this end, States are required to develop and maintain appropriate effective measures to account for and secure such items in production, use, storage or transport and to develop and maintain appropriate effective physical protection measures.
The workshop in Lima is the first workshop for South American States on the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) focusing on the issue of effective physical protection and accounting of related materials.
Representatives of eleven Member States as well as international and regional organizations will attend the workshop. Participating States will engage in information exchange and experience sharing, and discusse effective national practices for implementing resolution 1540 (2004) as well as cooperation with relevant international and regional partner organizations.
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).
Source: UNLIREC
Nov 6, 2014 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC officially launched its 1540 Programme with its first field activity in Grenada. This forms part of UNLIREC’s new 1540 assistance package for the Caribbean, which benefits from funding from US Department of State’s Bureau of International Security and Non-proliferation (ISN), aimed at assisting States in the region in their implementation of the resolution. On 10 June 2014, UNLIREC, together with an expert assisting the 1540 Committee and the CARICOM 1540 Coordinator, met with officials from the Office of the Attorney General of Grenada and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to present the programme and the main conclusions of its national study on the country’s legislation in non-proliferation matters. During the meeting, UNLIREC expressed its intention to build upon the work that both the 1540 Committee and CARICOM have been undertaking in Grenada, and further assist the country in addressing the main needs and challenges arising in the implementation of the resolution.
During the following two days, UNLIREC chaired a roundtable attended by close to 15 institutions and agencies from Grenada to share the findings and recommendations of its national study on the current legal framework in Grenada vis-à-vis the obligations contained in both UN Security Council resolution 1540(2004) and the main international conventions and instruments on nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, their means of delivery and related material.
Commending the progress made by Grenada since the adoption of the resolution in 2004, UNLIREC highlighted the need to enact specific legislation to address issues, such as transportation, transfer and transshipment of nuclear, chemical and biological materials, as well as adopt comprehensive control lists for certain items that are proliferation-sensitive.
Together with representatives of the various institutions present, a tentative work plan was drawn up with specific activities and training sessions, including the proposed visit by a South African delegation in July to address aspects of UNSCR 1540(2004) operative paragraph 3 (c) and (d) to assist Grenada in the elaboration of control lists and legal drafting on export controls, and the possibility of joining forces with the International Maritime Organisation, the US Department of Energy and INTERPOL to provide assistance and training in certain fields of law enforcement, port security and border controls and commodity identification.
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) forms part of the Regional Disarmament Branch (RDB), one of five branches of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA). UNLIREC is the only UN regional entity specialized in disarmament and non-proliferation in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Its main function is to translate the decisions, instruments and commitments of Member States in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation into action, at national, sub-regional and regional levels. In short, UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States in achieving and maintaining peace and security through disarmament.
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).
Nov 3, 2014 | Uncategorized
Representatives of the United States Department of Energy summoned various national authorities in Peru and a number of international experts from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, México, Panama and Peru to the UNLUREC headquarters in Lima from March 11-13, 2014, to discuss and present the basic components and content of an effective CIT training program.
Highlighting the importance of consolidating and implementing interinstitutional working groups, the purpose of the workshop was to identify best practice and lessons learned in countries that have already developed these courses and provide useful tools for strengthening existing programs or encouraging them in countries where they have not been developed.
As an example of best practice, UNLIREC presented the content and characteristics of its training courses and capacity building tools, referring mainly to its Inter-Institutional Course on Combating Illicit Firearms Trafficking (IITC).
UNLIREC´s participation in this workshop is part of its legal and technical assistance activities in the implementation of international instruments on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
For more information about UNLIREC, visit its web page [www.unlirec.com]. For any questions, contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at [cowl@unlirec.org].
