UNLIREC shares good practices on arms control within the private security sector in Costa Rica
News article to be posted on Monday, 10 October 2016.
UNLIREC contributes to regional framework on competency testing in the area of forensic ballistics
From 19 to 22 September, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Barbados, carried out its pilot forensic ballistics collaborative competency testing exercise. These exercises are part of the third round of implementation within the framework of the UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
These exercises comprise a series of practical and multiple choice questions on the competencies of: forensic examination of small arms ammunition, forensic examination of firearms and their components and trigger pull and travel examination. The exercises – based on UNLIREC’s standard operating procedures – were developed as a preparatory step for a regional framework of competency testing. These exercises may also be used as an internal assessment tool for the forensic science institutes and laboratories of the region in an independent and continual manner.
During this process, four firearms examiners from the Royal Barbados Police Force were assessed. These assessments also support the internal identification of existing gaps in skills, knowledge and procedures within Firearms Units in each State.
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.
UNLIREC and the Government of Belize hold joint meeting to develop Draft Voluntary National Action Plan to strengthen the implementation of resolution 1540 (2004)
On 9 December, UNLIREC held consultations with the Government of Belize to discuss its Draft National Action Plan on Implementation of UNSCR 1540(2004). This meeting brought together 12 representatives from eight institutions and agencies (including the Belize Coast Guard, Defence Force, Immigration, Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA), Police Department, National Security Council Secretariat, Customs & Excise Department and Port Authority).
UNLIREC presented summaries of the resolution and its main obligations, as well as of UNLIREC’s national legal study and its main recommendations for better aligning 1540 obligations with national provisions. In turn, Belize delivered a presentation on the status of implementation of the resolution in the country to date. CARICOM also provided a presentation on the relevance of the implementation of 1540 Resolution in the region, with special emphasis on Belize.
During the intense one-day workshop, the group identified and established a series of official focal points from each of the stakeholder institutions present, and discussed the content of a Voluntary National Action Plan that is to be presented to the 1540 Committee in the near future. Issues relating to the modernization of legislation, training and equipment needs, as well as assignment of specific roles and responsibilities, were addressed throughout the day.
Prior to this workshop, in July 2015, UNLIREC assisted Belize in the preliminary discussions for the drafting of the National Action Plan.
This meeting forms part of UNLIREC’s 1540 Assistance Package for Caribbean States with the financial support of Canada.
UNLIREC and Dominican Republic advance implementation of UN Security Council resolution on non-proliferation of WMDs
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), provided technical and legal assistance to the Dominican Republic, from 31 August to 1 September 2016, as part of its support to States in the region towards strengthening the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004). This resolution imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislative measures to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and their delivery systems, and establish appropriate national controls over related materials aimed at preventing their illicit trafficking.
During the mission, UNLIREC, accompanied by a former member of the Group of Experts of the 1540 Committee, provided comments and recommendations about the draft bill against the proliferation of WMD that the country has been developing since September 2015. Based on the inputs of UNLIREC, legal advisers and representatives of different government sectors, present in the session, undertook a further revision of the draft bill to ensure a proper consistency with the provisions of Resolution 1540. The discussions focused mainly on the development of a roadmap for the preparation of future regulatory provisions, an area in which UNLIREC will continue supporting the Dominican Republic thanks to the financial contribution of Canada.
This draft bill and its future regulation constitute a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to strengthen the implementation of UNSCR 1540 (2004), as it will provide the country with a solid legal basis for establishing trade controls of related materials and adopting measures to counter WMD proliferation.
UNLIREC works with government of Trinidad and Tobago to implement standard procedures in forensic ballistics
From 23 to 25 August, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, held a series of hands-on forensic ballistics training exercises in Port of Spain. These exercises represent the second round of assistance to the country, within the framework of UNLIREC’s Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of State and the Government of Canada.
The training exercises enabled twelve participants, including firearms examiners, armourers and Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) technicians from the Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Centre and the Police Service to refresh their knowledge on specific UNLIREC standard operating procedures (SOPs), such as validation of scientific methods, test firing procedures, comparison microscopy and range of fire for bulleted cartridge firearms and shot guns.
The activities also included a series of practical exercises comparing cartridge cases and bullets using a comparison microscope, exploring the creation of a specific SOP on test fire samples, as well as determining range of fire with bulleted cartridge firearms and shot guns. The exercises provided participants with the opportunity to exchange best practices, improve inter-institutional coordination and discuss challenges faced in the field.
For the third round of project assistance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, UNLIREC will be implementing a series of collaborative exercises derived from forensic ballistic SOPs as a tool for determining staff competencies in key functional areas.
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.
UNLIREC increases awareness on the impact of armed violence among adolescents through theatrical dance routines in northern Peru
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), within the framework of its programme ‘Strengthening Human Security and Community Resilience by Fostering Peaceful Coexistence in Peru’, brought together more than 800 adolescents in the city of Trujillo from 19 to 20 August 2016 to view theatrical dance routines. These artistic performances sensitize and raise awareness about the use of firearms and their impact upon society and community. The event was attended and supported by local and regional authorities.
The dance performance is the result of a joint initiative between UNLIREC and the Cultural Association Angels D1 (Asociación Cultural Ángeles D1), led by the well-known Peruvian choreographer and dancer, Vania Masias. The performance, entitled Stories of Fire, was elaborated by D1 and performed by its young artists. Through artistic dance and urban music, the young dancers recreate stories sending a clear message about the presence and circulation of firearms in the communities, as well as the impacts that their use has upon cohabitation and social structure.
The performance was carried out in Trujillo, in the district of El Porvenir, which is the second district with the highest homicide rate registered nationwide (22 per 1000,000 inhabitants) in 2015.
The UN Joint Programme for Human Security, works in an articulated manner with public institutions and authorities of Trujillo, particularly in the districts of El Porvenir, La Esperanza and Florencia de Mora, in order to reduce and prevent crime in general, gender-based violence and adolescent involvement in criminal activities.