Between 28 June and 9 July, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Honduran Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, delivered a specialised course on firearms investigations from a gender perspective (CEGAF) in Honduras.
The course aims to sensitise participants on the importance of considering gender perspectives in tackling crimes committed with firearms, to strengthen their technical knowledge of the scientific methods behind criminal investigation, and to encourage interinstitutional cooperation in these fields.
The course was delivered to close to 40 officials (27 women) belonging to the Honduran police force, the public prosecutor’s office, and the presidential programme ‘Women’s City’ through six virtual sessions, with audiovisual resources and extra reading on each topic. It included a regional overview of the proliferation of firearms, as well as armed violence and its impacts, paying special attention to femicides and other forms of violence against women. The course covered the scientific, judicial and technical grounds for using the gender perspective in criminal and forensic investigations, and also discussed the importance of correctly processing the crime scene and managing firearms and ammunition as evidence of crimes against women.
The final session, which consisted of a practical group exercise, invited participants to analyse different investigation scenarios and think about recurrent features in firearms investigations, such as the preservation of the crime scene or the prioritisation of evidence a gender perspective.
The present course is the seventh that UNLIREC has delivered in the region since the beginning of the year and forms part of a series of initiatives to empower countries to investigate crimes committed with firearms from a gender perspective.
The course has been devised in light of the region’s worrying femicide rates. 14 of the 25 countries with the highest femicide rates worldwide are in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a particularly high rate of 6.2 per 100,000 women in Honduras.
This initiative was made possible thanks to funding from the Canadian government.
From 15-25 June, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, delivered a specialised course on firearms investigations from a gender perspective (FIGP) in Colombia.
The course aims to sensitise participants on the importance of the gender perspective in tackling crimes with firearms, to strengthen their technical knowledge of the scientific method behind criminal investigations, and to encourage interinstitutional cooperation in these fields.
26 officials (8 women), belonging to the National Police of Colombia, the National Insitute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Science, and the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia, formed part of the group who virtually attended the course, which was carried out in six virtual sessions, each with audiovisual resources and extra reading on each topic. It included a regional overview of the proliferation of firearms, as well as armed violence and its impacts, paying special attention to femicides and other forms of violence against women. The course covered the scientific, judicial and technical grounds for using the gender perspective in criminal and forensic investigations, and also discussed the importance of correctly processing the crime scene and managing firearms and ammunition as evidence of crimes against women.
The group also had the opportunity to put into practice the theoretical aspects of the course during a practical group exercise, whereby participants were encouraged to analyse different investigative scenarios and consider recurrent activities in firearms investigations, such as the preservation of the crime scene or the prioritisation of evidence, but from a gender perspective.
The course is a reminder that 14 of the 25 countries with the highest femicide rates worldwide are in Latin America and the Carribean, with a rate of 0.6 per 100,000 women in Colombia. 53% of homicides against women are committed with a weapon in Colombia. Poor management of the crime scene or evidence found there, poor treatment of victims, and preconceived ideas about women, have increased levels of impunity in acts of violence against women.
This initiative forms part of a series of initiatibves that UNLIREC is delivering to empower countries to investigate crimes committed with firearms from a gender perspective.
This initiative was possible thanks to funding from the Canadian government.
On 11 June 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 Saint Lucia, and the Government of Germany, hosted a virtual Executive Seminar for the Advancement of Saint Lucia’s National Action Plan for the implementation of the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap.
On 22 January 2021, CARICOM’s Council of National Security and Law Enforcement (CONSOLE) 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.
Saint Lucia adopted the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap in May 2021 and has already initiated concrete actions contemplated in the Roadmap by taking steps to create its National Action Plan (NAP). A total of 14 representatives of the Department of Home Affairs and National Security, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, Forensic Science Laboratory, Bordelais Correctional Facility and the Director of Public Prosecutions Office, along with members of the German Embassy, UNLIREC and CARICOM IMPACS participated in the NAP Executive Seminar. Participants discussed the steps needed to map out Saint Lucia’s priorities, plans, and timelines for implementing the Roadmap. The successful implementation of which 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 has pre-defined goals, targets and actions as well as recommended performance indicators, serving as a base document for Saint Lucia 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.
Illicit arms trafficking is one of the major threats to security worldwide. Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are no exception. This is an important contributing factor in the region’s high rates of armed violence and crime.
In light of this, and as part of the technical assistance that UNLIREC offers the countries in the region, between 19th and 23rd April, it delivered the Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components Course (ISAAPC) online. The course was aimed at X-ray operators from the National Customs Service and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in Chile.
ISAAPC’s aim is to support national efforts to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking of firearms, ammunition, parts, components, and explosives through postal shipments, parcels, and luggage.
Through a combination of theory and practice, a group of 40 operators learnt about the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology and received training in identifying firearms, parts, components, ammunition, and explosives. There was also a special session on less dangerous firearms such as compressed air guns, blank guns, and replicas, among others, which illustrated how these differ from conventional firearms. There was another session on concealment methods commonly used by trafficking networks.
The sessions were supplemented by practical training on a platform built by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), on which participants developed their ability to recognise this type of threat.
This specialised technical course has been designed in order for X-ray screening operators to receive crucial continuous training to optimise security at entry, exit, and transit points in the region.
The course was administered by the Arms Trade Treaty’s Voluntary Trust Fund, of which Chile is a beneficiary and UNLIREC, at the request of the Chilean government, is an implementing partner.
On 1 October 2020, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in coordination with the decentralized Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Cajamarca, held a webinar on “Measures for preventing armed violence against women”.
More than 70 regional and local officials from the Judiciary, Public Prosecutor’s Office, National Police, regional and municipal government authorities, SUCAMEC, and Women’s Emergency Centres participated.
The seminar contextualized armed violence and violence against women in Peru and provided a gender-sensitive analysis based on gender-disaggregated statistical data to highlight the unequal impact of firearms on men and women. Continuing in this vein, UNLIREC presented the findings from its Normative Study on the link between norms on gender-based violence and small arms control and regulatory standards.
Furthermore, to promote a comprehensive approach to these problems, UNLIREC invited the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) to present the different policies for preventing armed violence against women in Peru, in particular in Cajamarca.
Finally, UNLIREC presented an overview of the measures adopted in Peru and other countries of the region to address, prevent and reduce violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as recommendations on how to integrate firearms control measures into these strategies from a gender perspective. UNLIREC called to evaluate the continuation of some measures and recommendations beyond the pandemic.
Attendees were able to share their concerns, experiences and interest in the issues addressed via the platform’s chat. At all times, the importance of coordination and cooperation among institutions with responsibilities in both issues were emphasized: the prevention of armed violence against women and attention to the victims, and the control and regulation of firearms and ammunition.
This activity forms part of UNLIREC’s Women, Disarmament, Non-proliferation and Arms Control Programme, supported by the Government of Canada and the European Union.
