Mar 8, 2021 | Uncategorized
From 8-12 March 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in collaboration with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Government of the United Kingdom (UK) hosted an Executive Seminar and on-line National Forensic Ballistic Intelligence Course in Trinidad and Tobago.
The one-day Executive Seminar (8 March) focused on Ballistic Intelligence and how this is applied in several national jurisdictions. Members of the Executive and Senior Leadership from the Police Service, Forensic Science Centre, Customs and Excise Department, Strategic Services Agency and Ministry of National Security participated in the event. The on-line National Forensic Ballistic Intelligence Course was delivered to operational personnel, investigators, analysts and scientific officers (9-12 March). The virtual training focused on enhancing the role of forensic laboratories in firearms investigations. The course sought to strengthen coordination between forensic laboratories and criminal investigation units and showcased how ballistics intelligence can provide key insight into criminal investigations and generate investigative leads. In total, 35 male and 20 females attended the Ballistics Intelligence activities.
Technological advances in the field of forensic firearm identification have enhanced forensic analysis in the same way that a comparison microscope improved human capacity for observation in past decades. It has improved the ability of forensic units to manage large volumes of information generated therein. Despite technological development, there is and will always be a fundamental requirement for skilled examiners and laboratory personnel, capable of examining, analyzing and handling firearms and ammunition evidence.
Hence, it is essential that the results of the ballistics section are disseminated and analyzed together with the information and intelligence from other analytical and investigative units, for example, geographical data on firearm incidents, or information found on the outside of a firearm, to support and improve investigations.
These activities were made possible thanks to the support of the UK government and included experts from the UK’s National Ballistics Intelligence Service, the US Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the International Police Organization (INTERPOL).
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.
Feb 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
On Thursday 18 February 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in coordination with the International Cooperation Office and the Technical Secretariat for Gender and Access to Justice in Costa Rica, held a webinar on “Measures preventing armed violence against women”.
A total of 252 representatives from different branches of the judiciary participated, including the Supreme Court of Justice, the Judicial Investigation Department, Public Prosecutor’s Office and specialized prosecutor’s offices, as well as from executive branches, like the Ministry of Justice and Peace, Ministry of Public Security, National Institute for Women, among others. Representatives from civil society organizations and sectors of academia also participated. Given that one of the purposes of UNLIREC’s Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Control Programme, supported by the European Union, is to promote the participation and training of women in the aforementioned areas, it is important to highlight that 57% of the participants were women.
The webinar began with an overview and analysis of statistics on armed violence and violence against women at national, regional and global levels, emphasizing how firearms-related incidents are not only confined to feminicides, but also different types of gender-based violence, whether physical, sexual and psychological. The presence of a firearm in a context of gender-based violence should be considered a risk factor not only because of its lethality, but also because it is used to threaten and intimidate victims, increasing their vulnerability.
Furthermore, UNLIREC presented the main findings and recommendations from its Normative Study on the necessary link between rules on gender-based violence and small arms control and regulatory standards. The study analyzed the national regulations of different countries in the region. During the webinar, special reference was made to the case of Costa Rica.
In order to promote a comprehensive and inter-institutional approach to the problem, UNLIREC invited two national experts. Firstly, the head of investigation at the Homicide Section of the Judicial Investigation Department of Costa Rica, who not only shared statistical information on firearms related to homicides and feminicides at the national level, but also her experience intervening in the investigation of acts of violence against women and feminicides. Secondly, the Deputy Prosecutor for Gender also gave a presentation on national regulations and institutional guidelines applicable in cases involving violence against women and firearms. The strategies outlined by the Prosecutor included the Inter-institutional Protocol for Intervention and Risk Assessment in Situations of Violence Against Women (Circular 197 2014) and the actions of Local Committees for Immediate Care (Clais).
Finally, it should be noted that this activity took place in the framework of the campaign launched by IANSA and supported by UNODA: “Gun Free Valentine”. The campaign is running from 14 February to 8 March. Under the slogans Disarm domestic violence and Love does not include guns, the main purpose is to raise awareness about the risks of having a gun in the home, intimate partner violence and how, with more effective laws, lives can be saved.
The webinar forms part of the project Supporting gender mainstreamed policies, programmes and actions in the fight against trafficking and misuse of small arms, in line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, supported by the European Union.
Feb 17, 2021 | Uncategorized
On Wednesday 17 February 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in coordination with the Guatemalan Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Presidential Secretariat for Women, held a webinar on “Measures preventing armed violence against women”.
49 representatives from different public bodies and civil society organizations dealing with the issue of armed violence and preventing violence against women participated in the webinar. Given that one of the purposes of UNLIREC’s Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Control Programme, supported by the European Union, is to promote the participation and training of women in the aforementioned areas, it is important to highlight that 70% of the participants were women.
The webinar began with an overview and analysis of statistics on armed violence and violence against women at national, regional and global levels, emphasizing how firearms-related incidents are not only confined to feminicides, but also different types of violence against women, whether physical, sexual and psychological. The presence of a firearm in a context of gender-based violence should be considered a risk factor not only because of its lethality, but also because it is used to threaten and intimidate victims, increasing their vulnerability.
Furthermore, UNLIREC presented the main findings from its Normative Study on the necessary link between rules on gender-based violence and small arms control and regulatory standards. The study analyzed the national regulations of different countries in the region. During the webinar, special reference was made to the case of Guatemala.
In order to promote a comprehensive and inter-institutional approach to the problem, UNLIREC invited the Guatemalan Presidential Secretariat for Women (SEPREM) to present and discuss the different policies on the prevention of violence against women carried out at the national level. In this regard, it is important to highlight that Guatemala is one of the seven countries in the region to present a National Action Plan to implement Security Council Resolution 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security”. The SEPREM panelist mentioned the main guidelines of the NAP launched in 2017.
Finally, it should be noted that this activity took place in the framework of the campaign launched by IANSA and supported by UNODA: “Gun free Valentine”. The campaign is running from 14 February to 8 March. Under the slogans Disarm domestic violence and Love does not include guns, the main purpose is to raise awareness about the risks of having a gun in the home, intimate partner violence and how, with more effective laws, lives can be saved.
The webinar forms part of the project Supporting gender mainstreamed policies, programmes and actions in the fight against trafficking and misuse of small arms, in line with the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, supported by the European Union.
Feb 12, 2021 | Uncategorized
On 12 February 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the Caribbean Community’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, and the Government of Germany, hosted a virtual Executive Seminar for the Advancement of National Action Plan of Barbados for the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
The ‘Roadmap for Implementing The Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030’ (Caribbean Firearms Roadmap) was officially adopted by CARICOM on January 22, 2021. The Roadmap consolidates and builds upon the 2019 actions adopted by Caribbean Heads of Governments on addressing the illicit trafficking of firearms in the region.
Barbados became the seventh CARICOM State to have initiated concrete actions contemplated in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap by taking steps to create its National Action Plan (NAP). A total of twenty-four (24) representatives of the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, Royal Barbados Police Force, Barbados Defence Force, along with members of the German Embassy, UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS participated in the NAP Executive Seminar. Participants discussed the Roadmap and steps needed to map out priorities, plans and timelines for implementing the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap. The successful implementation of the Roadmap will require both the concerted efforts of national authorities, as well as the timely, targeted and coordinated support of regional and international partners and donors.
The Roadmap serves as a base document for Barbados in the elaboration of its National Action Plan (NAP). It categorizes the abovementioned priority actions under four overall goals: (1) reinforce regulatory frameworks governing firearms and ammunition; (2) reduce the illicit flow of firearms and ammunition into, within and beyond the region; (3) bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse; and (4) systematically decrease the risk of diversion of firearms and ammunition from government and non-government owned arsenals. Each goal in turn includes targets and actions, key performance indicators, all in an alignment with a 10-year timeline coinciding with the culmination of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS, as the main implementing partners, will lend technical assistance in the elaboration of the NAPs and in their successive implementation. The governments of Canada, Germany, United States of America and the United Kingdom have pledged support to the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
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.
Feb 12, 2021 | Uncategorized
12 February: UNLIREC and the Government of Haiti held an online legal workshop to modernize Haiti’s national legal framework on firearms, parts, components, ammunitions and explosives, an issue considered a priority by the current government.
This activity brought together the legal task force responsible for drafting a decree on the issue, UNDP in Haiti, BINUH and UNLIREC’s legal team. The task force is made of the following Haitian government entities: Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Defense, Armed Forces, National Police and National Disarmament and Dismantling and Reinsertion Commission.
Following UNLIREC’s previous online legal workshop, held in September 2020, national authorities requested legal and technical drafting assistance. Consequently, the objective of this additional session was to present the task force with recommendations on how to align the national legal framework with the provisions found in relevant international instruments on firearms and ammunition control. UNLIREC also shared the findings of the legal dictum and recommendations for improving the Haitian legal framework.
This activity forms part of UNLIREC’s project entitled “UNLIREC Technical Assistance Package for Weapons and Ammunition Management in Haiti” funded by UNDP and the Peacebuilding Fund.
Feb 2, 2021 | Uncategorized
On 2 February 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the Caribbean Community’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, and the Government of Germany, hosted a virtual Executive Seminar for the Advancement of Guyana’s National Action Plan for the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
On January 22, 2021 CARICOM officially adopted the ‘Roadmap for Implementing The Caribbean Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a Sustainable Manner by 2030’ (Caribbean Firearms Roadmap), which consolidates and builds upon the 2019 actions adopted by Caribbean Heads of Governments on addressing the illicit trafficking of firearms in the region.
Guyana, has initiated concrete actions contemplated in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap by taking steps to create its National Action Plan (NAP). A total of 39 representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Force, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Customs Department along with members of the German Embassy, UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS participated in the NAP Executive Seminar. Participants discussed the Roadmap and steps needed to map out Guyana’s priorities, plans and timelines for implementing the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap. The successful implementation of the Roadmap will require both the concerted efforts of national authorities, as well as the timely, targeted and coordinated support of regional and international partners and donors. The Roadmap serves as a base document for Guyana in the elaboration of its National Action Plan (NAP).
UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS, as the main implementing partners, will lend technical assistance in the elaboration of the NAPs and in their successive implementation. The governments of Canada, Germany, United States of America and the United Kingdom have pledged support to the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
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.
