Dec 4, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 4 December 2020, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat, carried out a webinar on ‘Firearms in Schools: A Regional Overview’ for Caribbean States. The webinar also marked the official launch of UNLIREC’s recent study on ‘Firearms in Latin American and Caribbean Schools: Approaches, Challenges and Responses’ for Caribbean States.
Over the past few decades, media reports of incidents involving firearms in schools have been increasingly recurring in many countries of the region. These incidents which include both the presence and use of firearms inside schools have led to injuries and fatalities as a result of intentional and accidental gunshots. This phenomenon poses enormous challenges in ensuring safe learning spaces for children and adolescents in the region.
Given this regional context and with the objective of better understanding the approach, challenges and responses to this phenomenon, UNLIREC undertook the aforementioned study. UNLIREC thanks the governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and experts who contributed to the data collection for this study.
During the webinar, UNLIREC presented a regional overview of the phenomenon, main findings of the study, and the different responses being implemented to tackle the presence and use of firearms in schools in the region. Meanwhile, a representative of the CARICOM Secretariat presented on the advancement of its School Violence Prevention Programme, the key priorities of schools and communities of the CARICOM Member States and shared effective regional strategies being implemented to prevent violence against children in schools and homes. Both UNLIREC and CARICOM concurred on the need of enhanced inter-agency coordination and data-sharing as important steps to prevent the presence and use of firearms in schools in the Caribbean.
More than 115 persons, including 48 women, from education, law enforcement, defense and administrative sectors from different Caribbean States and international organizations actively participated in the webinar. Through this webinar, UNLIREC facilitated a regional dialogue by providing an opportunity for the participants to ask questions, share comments and exchange experiences related to the phenomenon of firearms in schools.
This webinar forms part of a larger project on firearms in Latin American and Caribbean schools made possible thanks to the financial support of the Government of Sweden.
UNLIREC, as the regional organ of the UN Office for Disarmament, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament and promote enhanced public security in Latin America and the Caribbean. This effort is aligned with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Disarmament Agenda “Securing our Common Future”, Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security.
Dec 2, 2020 | Uncategorized
On Wednesday 2 December, in the framework of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), the National Institute for Women (INMUJERES) and the National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women (CONAVIM) held a virtual conference on “Firearms control to reduce violence against women”.
The event was aimed at officials from the following sectors: security, justice, arms control, gender and women, as well as Civil Society Organizations and academic sectors that address these issues. It is important to note that of the 344 people who participated, 80% were women. This is encouraging considering that promoting the participation and training of women in firearms control is one of the main premises guiding UNLIREC’s work in the region.
Important national officials participated in the opening remarks of the conference, namely Dr. Fabiola Alanís Sámano, National Commissioner to Prevent and Eradicate Violence against Women; Dr. Sara Irene Herrerías Guerra, Head of the Specialized Human Rights Prosecutor’s Office; Ms. Paulina Téllez Martínez, Head of the Justice System Support Unit; Mr. Ricardo Mejía, Undersecretary of Public Security; Ms. María Rodríguez, Director of the Chancellor’s Office; and Dr. Nadine Gasman Zylbermann, President of INMUJERES.
Following the opening remarks, the experts’ presentations began. First, Ms. Magda Coss, from the National Institute for Women in Mexico, presented the national panorama of armed violence from a gender perspective and Ms. Estefanía Vela, from the civil society organization Intersecta, presented statistics on violence against women caused by firearms in different contexts.
Once the problem had been presented, Ms. Sonia Fernández, UNLIREC Legal Coordinator, shared the main findings and conclusions from the Normative Study that addresses the link between the norms on violence against women and the norms of the regulation and control of small arms, with special emphasis on the case of Mexico.
The attendees were able to share their questions, comments and interest in the topic addressed via the platform’s chat function. At all times, emphasis was placed on the importance of increasing coordination and cooperation among institutions with responsibilities both in firearms and ammunition control and in preventing and addressing violence against women.
This activity formed part of UNLIREC’s Program on Women, Disarmament, Non-Proliferation and Arms Control, supported by the Government of Canada and the European Union.
Dec 1, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 1 December 2020, with the financial support of the Government of Germany, UNLIREC carried out an online seminar with Argentina focusing on the fundamental concepts and international technical guidelines regarding stockpile management of ammunition. The relevance of conventional arms and ammunition control measures for national security was highlighted while UNLIREC also presented internationally-recognized technical guidelines on ammunition stockpile management with a view to strengthening Argentinian efforts against illicit arms and ammunition trafficking.
Over 30 participants (7 women) from national institutions with responsibility for the implementation of arms and ammunition controls participated in the seminar, including the Ministry of Defense, Argentinian Army, Navy and Air Force, Argentinian Military Industry (Fabricaciones Militares SE) and the Institute of Scientific and Technical Research for Defense (CITEDEF).
Given the impact of the proliferation and diversion of arms and ammunition on armed violence and illicit trafficking in the region, UNLIREC sensitized stakeholders about the importance of implementing effective ammunition stockpile management practices to reduce the risk of illegal proliferation and diversion.
UNLIREC delivered a presentation on classification and division of hazards Class 1 of dangerous goods and quantity (NEQ) – distances. Panellists from the Argentinian Air Force, Ministry of Defense and the Institute of Scientific and the Technical Research for Defense – CITEDEF presented practical measures that Argentina implements regarding stockpile management of ammunition, as well as, its useful life, demilitarization and arms inventory management. 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 30, 2020 | Uncategorized
From 30 November 2020 to 11 December 2020, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Governments of Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, hosted an online Examination of Fired Ammunition Components and Comparative Pattern Analysis Theory (Virtual) Course.
Since 2015, UNLIREC’s Technical Assessment of Forensic Firearms Laboratories in the Caribbean identified a need to increase the human resource capacity in ballistics laboratories to effectively combat all cases of armed violence. Several States have embarked on various initiatives to increase their human capacity, with the support of UNLIREC. In an effort to boost the capacity of firearm examiner trainees, UNLIREC hosted a two week online course on the Examination of Fired Ammunition Components and Comparative Pattern Analysis Theory.
Twenty-nine firearm examiner trainees, firearm technicians, police officers and scientific officers including (11) females from the Royal Barbados Police Force, the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service and Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Laboratory took part in the training. The course included a review of basic laboratory examinations involving fired ammunition components from handgun, rifle, and shotgun ammunition to allow participants to correctly classify ammunition components and correctly identify class characteristics on spent ammunition. The course also reviewed the basic premises of firearm and toolmark identification, exposed participants to the differentiating toolmarks made by multiple tools and introduced the concept of contextual bias in firearm and toolmark identification.
The “Examination of Fired Ammunition Components and Comparative Pattern Analysis Theory” course has contributed to the scientific and judicial development of trainee firearms examiners, making them more knowledgeable on the examination of minute details reproduced on spent ammunition parts as well as their unbiased, scientific role in the judicial process. The course built capacity among the participants to combat all instances of firearms criminality, including cases of illicit firearms trafficking, by improving their ability to examine illicit firearms and ammunition used in cases of armed violence.
The course forms part of Phase 3 of the Operational Forensic Ballistics technical assistance provided to the Caribbean States, with the financial support of the Government of the United States.
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.
Nov 26, 2020 | Uncategorized
On November 26, as part of the dissemination process of the recent regional study conducted by UNLIREC entitled “Firearms in Latin American and Caribbean Schools: approximations, challenges and responses”, a webinar was held to publicize the main findings of this study and create a space for dialogue with representatives of different sectors in Guatemala, to analyze the presence and use of firearms in schools, their impacts and challenges.
Approximately 90 people attended this webinar, including public sector representatives in the areas of education, social development, arms control, external relations, childhood and adolescence, among others, as well as civil society organizations and specialists.
As part of the agenda developed in this webinar, UNLIREC shared the most relevant findings from their regional study highlighting the main manifestations, expressions and causes of this phenomenon in the region. UNLIREC also shared different responses and initiatives that were compiled in the study to address and prevent the presence of firearms in schools, which have been implemented in some countries in the region.
To complement this regional perspective, representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Teaching Institute for Sustainable Development (IEPADES) also attended the event, who shared the national perspective on the problem in question, analyzing the different factors that influence children, adolescents and school-aged young people to be exposed to firearms. Reference was also made to the policies and programs promoted by the education sector to address the different expressions of school violence, as well as some initiatives that have been promoted from civil society coordination with public institutions in areas of diagnostics, collecting information, management and raising awareness.
Throughout the webinar and when asked which would be the most pressing measures to address this phenomenon, participants highlighted the importance of having orientation guides and protocols to address possible incidents involving the presence and use of firearms in educational centers, as well as to strengthen efforts of raising awareness among and educating the student population regarding the negative impact of firearms and armed violence in general.
Furthermore, they highlighted that it is fundamental to strengthen the coordinated and sectoral work between different institutions (education, security, childhood, arms control, among others) to prevent the presence and use of firearms in Guatemalan schools, as these spaces are key to exchanging points of view and identifying possible action routes to develop integrated work among different institutions and actors.
This virtual seminar was made possible thanks to the Government of Sweden’s valuable financial contribution.
Nov 25, 2020 | Uncategorized
On 25 November 2020, 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 Jamaica, and the Government of Germany, hosted a virtual Executive Seminar for the Advancement of Jamaica’s National Action Plan for the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
Jamaica has 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.
Jamaica, along with four other Caribbean States, initiated concrete actions contemplated in the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap by taking steps to create its National Action Plan (NAP). A total of 27 representatives of the Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Defence Force, Firearm Licensing Authority, Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine, Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency, Jamaica Customs Agency 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 Jamaica’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 Jamaica in the elaboration of its National Action Plan (NAP). It includes four main 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 incorporates pre-defined actions and targets, recommended performance indicators, all in alignment with a timeline, which runs from 2020 to 2030, to coincide with the culmination of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
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 instruments, in particular, the 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms.
