Small arms: Armed violence

The excessive accumulation of small arms has been instrumental in shaping the onset, severity and duration of armed violence, and its negative consequences. Because they are widely available and easy to use, firearms are the most prominent tools in armed conflicts – and in criminal and interpersonal violence in non-conflict settings.

Characteristics

Armed violence…

… leads to over half a million deaths each year, the vast majority of them in countries not affected by war, but instead by high levels of interpersonal violence, some of which involves organized gangs or armed groups

… exacts a major socio-economic toll, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and on the poor and vulnerable segments of society

… traumatizes individuals and communities. These consequences, although not easily visible, have a real and negative impact on prospects for and processes of reconciliation and reconstruction

… has a negative effect on the economy. War-affected countries on average experience a reduction in the annual growth rate of their economies of about 2 per cent of GDP and low growth rates persist after the fighting stops. Moreover, the global cost of non-conflict violence to societies can be as much as $160 billion a year

… destroys lives and property, undermines the potential for local and foreign investment, and contributes to the loss of vital skills for societies when human capital migrates away. It contributes to excessive and unproductive expenditures on policing and security services

… is highly gendered in both its causes and consequences. Across all affected societies, young males are the most common perpetrators as well as immediate victims of armed attacks, while gender-based violence against women and children is widespread and often underrecorded

… can be influenced by organized criminal syndicates, diaspora groups and terrorist networks

… is both a national and international security concern.

Therefore, effectively addressing armed violence will need to include strategies and approaches linked to

disarmament
peacebuilding
development
public health
criminal justice
urban security
criminal justice and rule of law
gender and children
counter-terrorism
human rights

Prevention & reduction

Armed violence is often concentrated in specific areas or among particular groups in society. While parts of a country or city may function normally, border areas and urban slums are often vulnerable to the growth of informal, violent, and predatory power structures.

A community security approach allows assistance to be properly targeted at the local level, where the need is greatest. United Nations peace operations focus increasingly on “community violence reduction”.

Different forms of violence can be causally linked. Some conflict zones also show a high incidence of gender-based violence, especially sexual violence. This shows how armed conflict is not confined to combatants – it routinely spills over into violence committed against civilians. High rates of criminal violence in post-conflict settings also underline how the legacy of conflict can pose an ongoing obstacle to the sustainable return of individuals displaced by conflict as well as to reconstruction and social cohesion.

Different forms of violence require integrated policy and programmatic responses targeting specific risk and protective factors. However, it is also important to avoid treating forms of violence in isolation. Fragmented approaches that focus narrowly on conflict or crime may hinder the articulation of comprehensive strategies for the prevention and reduction of armed violence and the development of more coherent international, regional, national and local policies.

Successful activities tend to combine enforcement-led actions, such as enhanced policing, with voluntary and prevention-based programmes that address structural and proximate risks and enhance the resilience of people and communities in the face of armed violence.

Characteristics

Prevention & reduction

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