Feb 26, 2015 | Uncategorized
UNLIREC, in collaboration with the CONATIAF and SUCAMEC in Peru, organized an international seminar in Lima on 26 February 2015 to discuss citizen security and the role of local governments in armed violence reduction. This platform generated a space for analysis and information exchange at the local level on successful approaches to reducing armed violence.
The seminar was attended by local government officials and police officers from Metropolitan Lima and Callao, as well as representatives from various state institutions. During the one-day intense seminar, Peruvian representatives presented public policies on armed violence prevention and reduction, as well as the new firearms law. National presentations were complemented by those from international experts from neighbouring Argentina and Colombia who shared best practices in arms control at both the local and provincial levels in their respective countries.
The event allowed for a fruitful exchange of ideas and united local actors in confronting armed violence with a view to channeling common efforts and arriving at sustainable solutions.
UNLIREC, as the regional office of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, seeks to advance the cause of practical disarmament in Latin America and the Caribbean and to support Member States in the region in their implementation of international disarmament and non-proliferation instruments, including the UN 2001 Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information about UNLIREC, visit [www.unlirec.org]. For any questions, contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at [cowl@unlirec.org].
Feb 25, 2015 | Uncategorized
The United Nations System in Peru, under its Joint Programme for Human Security and in close cooperation with the National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives and Civilian Use (SUCAMEC), held and International Seminar on the Role of Local Governments and Communities in Reducing Armed Violence on 25 February at the Superior Court of La Libertad in Trujillo.
Dialogue was generated between regional, local and district authorities and members of civil society and international experts on public policies aimed at improving public security by reducing armed violence. To expand the discussion, representatives of security sectors, education and youth of local and district municipalities and members of special communities and districts with high crime rates were invited to share their experiences and opinions.
In La Libertad region and, in particular, in Trujillo, policies are being discussed to deal with insecurity. This seminar aims to promote the development of and generate ideas related to effective policies and mechanisms for arms control and reduction of armed violence. The inputs and ideas shared by national and international experts, as well as members of communities who face this problem on a daily basis will contribute to dialogue on possible areas of intervention and collaboration within the UN Joint Programme for Human Security.
The United Nations Joint Programme for Human Security is supporting various public institutions and communities in Trujillo to reduce and prevent crime, gender-based violence, and adolescent involvement in juvenile crime. The event is funded by the Joint Programme which includes five different UN agencies: the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC).
For more information on the activities of the United Nations in Trujillo, please contact: James Shaw, Coordinator, United Nations Joint Programme, at [james.shaw@unodc.org].
Feb 23, 2015 | Uncategorized
As part of UNLIREC’s technical assistance package to strengthen the implementation of resolution 1540 in the Caribbean, the Government of Belize and UNLIREC organized a national roundtable in Belmopan on February 23. This event brought together over 10 high level representatives from various institutions and agencies in Belize to discuss the findings and recommendations of UNLIREC’s study on the existing legal framework on 1540, and served as an opportunity to actively engage with the different stakeholders and explain the nature and scope of the review and of the technical assistance package in general. As well, additional information was gathered on the implementation of the resolution in the country, and a series of priority areas were identified for the delivery of further technical assistance in the coming months.
During the one day discussions, senior officials from a range of relevant institutions and agencies benefited from a series of presentations from the Group of Experts assisting the 1540 Committee on the nature and scope of UNSCR 1540(2004), and from UNLIRE C officials who introduced the content of the assistance package as well as a detailed account of the comprehensive review of the country’s legislation and potential recommendations for addressing challenges. Finally, the CARICOM 1540 Coordinator informed the audience of the work that this regional organization has undertaken in the past years.
In the afternoon panel, moderated by Mr. George Lovell, CEO of the Ministry of National Security, participants presented their comments and observations on potential priority areas for further assistance and training, and agreed to continue discussing these through internal deliberations that will be summoned for the coming weeks. The main issues addressed included the need to adopt a more robust legal framework on WMD matters, the necessity of summoning additional agencies to the table (Ministry of Health, Financial Intelligence Unit, among others), as well as the convenience of attempting to consolidate a coordinated work plan for the implementation of the resolution.
UNLIREC reiterated its willingness to support Belize should ongoing internal deliberations result in a specific request for technical assistance.
For more information on UNLIREC visit [www.unlirec.org]. Please direct all questions or inquiries to: Ms. Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, [cowl@unlirec.org].
Feb 18, 2015 | Uncategorized
The United Nation Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in cooperation with the Institute of Education for the Sustainable Development (IEPADES), carried out a training workshop on best practices and international standards in stockpile management from 18-19 February 2015 in Guatemala City.
With the aim of improving technical skills in the operative personnel from various national institutions, UNLIREC trained 28 officials on the implementation of the United Nations International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) and the International Ammunition Technical Guidelines (IATG) on stockpile management and weapons and ammunition storage.
The content of the workshop included topics such as definitions and classifications of firearms, ammunition and explosives; firearms proliferation and armed violence; stockpile management of arms and ammunition, as well as risk management and security plans. Also, the participants were able to combine theory with dynamic and practical exercises.
Stockpile management is a crucial element in the control of firearms as it helps to reduce the possibility of theft and loss of arms and ammunition, and its deviation into illegal channels. Likewise, the proper management and a handling of these stocks reduce the risks of explosion and others incidents caused by humans or natural disasters. It is expected that the workshop will contribute to the standardization of norms of States’ stockpiles and minimize the possibility of theft of arms and ammunition.
The workshop forms part of UNLIREC’s regional project ‘Preventing Armed Violence in Central America through the Combat of Illicit Trafficking in Firearms’, which is funded by the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. Through its assistance to Latin American and Caribbean States, UNLIREC supports States in their efforts to boost public security and implement the United Nations Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons (UN 2001 PoA).
For more information on UNLIREC, please visit its website at www.unlirec.org, or contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at cowl@unlirec.org.
Feb 11, 2015 | Uncategorized
From 2-7 November 2015, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), in collaboration with the government of Guyana, carried out a three-day training course, a technical assessment of national capabilities and infrastructure, and a seminar for the institutional clients of firearms forensic ballistics in Georgetown. These included officials from the Judiciary, Ministry of Public Security and the Guyana Police force, among others.
A three-day training course on operational forensic ballistics enabled 8 participants, including firearms examiners and other specialized law enforcement personnel to increase their knowledge on topics such as firearms and ammunition identification and examination, comparison microscopy, range of fire determination and double casting. The course included a simulation of the presentation of expert testimony of forensic ballistic evidence in a court of law and provided the opportunity for participants to exchange best practices and challenges faced in the field.
The national assessment, carried out in cooperation with the Ballistics Unit of the Guyana Police Force Crime lab, took into consideration the occupational health and safety of the firearms examiners (e.g. lead contamination), adequate protective equipment, firearms safety protocols, evidence management, as well as the continuing education plans for firearm and toolmark examiners and other laboratory personnel. The main recommendations of the assessment will be integrated in the two year capacity-building work plan for forensic ballistics.
The seminar raised the awareness of 17 institutional clients of firearms forensic ballistics on the strengths and shortcomings of forensic ballistics in support of building court cases, as well as in generating intelligence to identify sources and routes used for illicit arms trafficking. The seminar also benefited from the presence of the Honourable Minister of Public Security Mr. Kemraj Ramjattan who thanked UNLIREC for its current initiative and previous technical assistance to Guyana. UNLIREC staff also provided a review of best practices in forensic ballistics analysis and investigative techniques.
This initiative is part of the UNLIREC Caribbean Operational Forensic Ballistics Assistance Package, which is made possible thanks to the support of the US Department of 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.
For more information on UNLIREC visit (www.unlirec.org). Please direct all questions or inquiries to Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer (cowl@unlirec.org).
Feb 9, 2015 | Uncategorized
With the assistance of the UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC), Peruvian authorities destroyed over 2,000 small arms in the northern city of Trujillo, capital of La Libertad Region in Peru, on 1 September 2015. This event forms part of the UN Joint Programme aimed at strengthening human security and community resilience by fostering peaceful co-existence in Peru, as well as part of the National Superintendence for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition and Explosives for Civilian Use (SUCAMEC)’s awareness campaign on the risks of the indiscriminate use of small arms.
The 2,000 small arms destroyed originated in large part from weapons confiscated by the Peruvian National Police (PNP). The official destruction ceremony started with the ‘cutting’ of the weapons to render them inoperable, while they await final destruction via ‘smelting’ at an iron and steel factory.
According to the Director of UNLIREC, Ms. Mélanie Régimbal, “if each weapon has the potential to kill, injure or threaten someone, then this process of destruction has a clear impact on public security because it prevents dozens of small arms-related crimes from being committed”. Ms Régimbal went on to affirm that “the destruction of small arms is one more step in preventing and reducing armed violence in La Libertad.”
The UN Joint Programme supports the authorities of La Libertad and Trujillo, as well as the local authorities of El Porvenir, La Esperanza and Florencia de Mora, communities highly affected by violence and crime, in improving human security throughout the northern region. The Inter-agency programme’s activities include comprehensive initiatives in the areas of health, recreation, public security, justice services, and community strengthening.
For more information about UNLIREC, visit (www.unlirec.org) or contact Amanda Cowl, Political Affairs Officer, at (cowl@unlirec.org).
