There are an estimated 875 million small arms and light weapons in circulation worldwide. The ready availability of small arms in contexts of growing socioeconomic inequality, rapid urbanization, unemployment and a breakdown in the rule of law increases the likelihood of armed conflict, organized crime and inter-personal violence. Of 49 major conflicts in the 1990s, 47 were waged with small arms as the weapons of choice. Small arms have been responsible for, on average, over a quarter of a million deaths per year, with an ever-increasing number taking place in non-conflict settings.
To learn more about how small arms, landmines, cluster munitions and the legacy of war creates an environment that inhibits human development watch a video about small arms control. VIDEO
Controlling Supply
In partnership with 16 other UN agencies, UNDP works to control and curtail the supply of arms to conflict zones and fragile settings through civilian arms collection, surplus destruction and stockpile management, as well as enhancements to transfer and export controls (UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and UN Coordinating Action on Small Arms Mechanism). Assistance in the development of sound legislative/regulatory provisions for strict SALW control is provided through “how to” guides on best practice legislation and on capacitating national commissions to carry out nationally-owned SALW national action plans. "How to Guide" in English, French, Spanish, Russian.
International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS)
UNDP works through the UN Coordinating Action on Small Arms Mechanism (CASA), which brings together 21 UN agencies and departments to ensure that UN policy and progamme support is coherent and coordinated. As an example of this, CASA is currently developing International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) that will systematize how the UN approaches and addresses small arms control. The resulting standards (expected in 2010), will ensure that future small arms control work is better harmonized, more systematic and easier to integrate with broader armed violence prevention programmes.
