In recent years, the proliferation of firearms has had repercussions in all parts of society including educational centres in the Latin American and Caribbean region. The readily available arms facilitate students ability to carry firearms to schools, increasing the risk that firearms are present in fights and arguments or used to threaten or cause intentional and accidental shootings leading to injuries and fatalities.
On 9 November 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama and the Government of Sweden held the Webinar entitled “Firearms in Schools” to explore this phenomenon and its impact on school safety.
During the event, UNLIREC presented the most relevant findings of its study Firearms in Schools in Latin America and the Caribbean: Approaches, Challenges and Responses. The presentation included an overview of the main characteristics of this phenomenon in recent years in the countries of the region. It also outlined a series of initiatives and measures that have been implemented throughout the region, to address and prevent the presence and use of firearms in schools. UNLIREC also shared a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening responses to this phenomenon and limit its violent impact.
The Panamanian National Police presented the national legal framework, procedures and specific programmes developed to address and prevent violence in schools, including the entry of weapons onto the school grounds.
This webinar was attended by representatives from the educational, security sectors, specialists on children and adolescents and, social development matters, foreign affairs representatives as well as, civil society organisations specialized in these topics. Taking into account the multidimensionality that characterises this phenomenon participants agreed on the importance of strengthening inter-institutional coordination to ensure comprehensive approaches and, above all, to promote actions aimed at preventing armed violence against youth.
This webinar was made possible thanks to the valuable financial contribution of the government of Sweden.
On 8 November 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, hosted an online National Tracing Workshop and Roundtable Meeting.
In the Caribbean, thousands of illicit firearms are seized annually. However, not all illicit firearms are traced to identify their last known legal owners. Ineffective procedures and the absence of serial numbers on firearms are factors that hinder the ability of States to trace firearms recovered. These challenges are by the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, which Guyana have adopted. In this sense, the National Tracing Workshop and Roundtable Meeting were developed to support the State’s efforts to trace firearms and implement the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
Nine national officials from the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Defence Force, the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory, and the Customs Department took part in the National Tracing Workshop and the Roundtable Meeting. Participants included operational police officers and analysts responsible for recovering illicit firearms, retrieving trace evidence, analyzing firearm crime data, tracing firearms and collating information on criminal groups. The Workshop included presentations from UNLIREC, Guyana, and the United Kingdom’s National Ballistics Intelligence Service.
The Tracing workshop preceded a Serial Number Restoration course which was undertaken during the same week for representatives of the Guyana Forensic Science Laboratory and the Guyana Police Force to enhance the State’s capacity to successfully trace weapons. Both activities were carried out in line with the 2001 UN Porgramme of Action on Small Arms and Sustainable Development Goal 16.4, contributes towards the implementation of Goal 3 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap, Bolster law enforcement capacity to combat illicit firearms and ammunition trafficking and their illicit possession and misuse, and ammunition, and ultimately reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.
The Workshop and the Roundtable meeting were made possible thanks to the financial support from the Federal Republic of Germany.
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.
From 8 to 12 November 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in virtual modality. Thirty (30) officials, including 10 women, from Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda, Antigua and Barbuda Forensic Services, Office of National Drug and Money Laundering Control Policy, Customs and Excise Division actively participated in the course.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC within its ‘Combat of Illicit Arms and Ammunition Trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean (Phase III)’ project. The specialized course aims to strengthen the capacities of States to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives that is carried out through postal shipments, packages, parcels, and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
Based on a theoretical-practical methodology, the participants received specialized training on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology, technical specifications of small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, and explosives. The course also included an interactive session on concealment methods being employed by traffickers in the region. Furthermore, participants received practical training on an X-ray simulation program developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), thereby enhancing and developing their capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
This specialized course, developed in line with 2001 UN Porgramme of Action on Small Arms, Arms Trade Treaty and Sustainable Development Goal 16.4, contributes to regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.
The implementation of the ISAAPC course was made possible thanks to the financial support from the Federal Republic of Germany.
On 5 October 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) held its first working thematic meeting for the Dominican Republic to discuss Goal 1 of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap: reinforce regulatory frameworks governing firearms and ammunition.
Following the National Executive Seminar on the Firearms Roadmap held in July, authorities expressed their interest in receiving assistance related to Goals 1 and 4, including legal assistance for the ongoing firearms regulation drafting process, specifically the inclusion of related technical specifications, norms and standards.
During the meeting, UNLIREC provided an overview of Goal 1, including the international obligations and the technical recommendations on firearms control that States must consider in relation to the Caribbean Roadmap. The link with Goal 4 “Systematically decrease the risk of diversion of firearms and ammunition from government and non-government-owned arsenals” was also highlighted, as it encompasses the implementation of legal obligations (such as for destruction or marking), and therefore has both regulatory and technical implications. A national presentation was delivered on the ongoing regulation drafting process and the potential areas for assistance and collaboration with UNLIREC.
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), builds on Caribbean aspirations to combat illicit trafficking of firearms and enhance resilience, through support from UNLIREC, CARICOM IMPACS and other international partners, in coordination with the governments of Germany, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
This first working thematic Meeting on Goal 1, was carried out in line with 2001 UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Sustainable Development Goal 16.4 and contributes towards regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition.
This meeting was generously sponsored by the Federal Republic of Germany.
From 27 September to 1 October 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in virtual modality. Twenty-nine (29) officials, including 16 women, from Jamaica Customs Agency, Jamaica Constabulary Force, Port Security Corps, and Ministry of National Security actively participated in the course. This course was delivered to Jamaica for the first time.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC within its ‘Combating of illicit Firearms and Ammunition Trafficking in the Caribbean’ project. The specialized course aims to strengthen the capacities of States to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives that is carried out through postal shipments, packages, parcels, and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
Based on a theoretical-practical methodology, the participants received specialized training on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology, technical specifications of small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, and explosives. The course also included an interactive session on concealment methods being employed by traffickers in the region. Furthermore, participants received practical training on an X-ray simulation program developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), thereby enhancing and developing their capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
This specialized course, developed in line with 2001 UN Porgramme of Action on Small Arms, Arms Trade Treaty and Sustainable Development Goal 16.4, contributes to regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.
The implementation of the ISAAPC course was made possible thanks to the financial support from the United States of America.
From 6-10 September 2021, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) delivered its Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components (ISAAPC) course in virtual modality to close to 20 law enforcement officials from the St. Kitts and Nevis Customs and Excise Department, Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force and St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force.
The ISAAPC course forms part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC within its ‘Combating of illicit Firearms and Ammunition Trafficking in the Caribbean’ project. The specialized course aims to strengthen the capacities of States to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of small arms, ammunition and explosives that is occurring through postal shipments, packages, parcels and luggage at entry, exit, and transit points in the country.
Based on a theoretical-practical methodology, the participants received specialized training on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology, technical specifications of small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, explosives, and less lethal weapons. The course also included an interactive session on concealment methods being employed by traffickers in the region. Furthermore, participants received practical training on an X-ray simulation program developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), thereby enhancing and developing their capacities to detect illicit trafficking through X-ray scanners.
This specialized course, developed in line with 2001 UN Porgramme of Action on Small Arms, Arms Trade Treaty and Sustainable Development Goal 16.4, contributes towards regional efforts to prevent illicit trafficking of firearms and ammunition, thereby reducing firearms-related crimes and armed violence in the Caribbean.
The implementation of the ISAAPC course was made possible thanks to the financial support from the United States of America.
