This project seeks to promote good governance of the armed private security sector operating throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. States are encouraged to adopt internationally-accepted standards, norms, and good practices (MOSAIC, HCoC, Montreux Document) for small arms control and private security legislation and regulation, while the private security companies and industry associations targeted in this project benefit from the delivery of tools and specialized capacity-building, and advisory and technical support.

This project combines policy research and tool development at the regional level with practical advisory, technical and capacity-building support with the aim of:

• preventing small arms and ammunition belonging to private security companies (PSC) from being stolen, trafficked and/or used in crimes.
• supporting governments in their efforts to develop mechanisms for good governance over the Private Security Services (PSS).
• disseminating good practices by governments in overseeing PSCs and mechanisms of self-regulation in the same sector.
• promoting implementation of international standards through physical security and stockpile management of arms and ammunition by PSCs and through the secondary marking of PSC-held small arms.
• accompanying and verifying the destruction of small arms no longer needed by PSCs.

The Firearms Protocol obliges States to adopt measures to enable confiscation of firearms, their parts and components and ammunition that have been illicitly trafficked; and to adopt, within their domestic legal systems, measures to prevent illicitly trafficked firearms, parts and components and ammunition from falling into the hands of unauthorized persons by seizing such firearms, their parts and components and ammunition. In compliance with these provisions, UNLIREC works with law enforcement officials across the region to build their capacity to identify and interdict illicitly trafficked weapons and provide them with the appropriate tools to mitigate the diversion of these weapons through:

• Specialized training on identification of small arms, ammunition, parts and components, x-ray image interpretation and on-site simulations of interdictions using frequently employed methods of concealment

With the support of:

UNLIREC contributes to improving public policy frameworks on arms control through a series of capacity-building trainings. These in person and virtual courses strengthen a State’s response to public security challenges – mainly on preventing and combating illicit arms and ammunition trafficking – through increased knowledge, practical training, inter-institutional coordination, and the sharing of best practices. These trainings are tailor-made to each State and contribute to the country’s comprehensive and holistic national arms control strategies and programmes. 

The following courses are delivered by UNLIREC expert staff and consultants:

• Firearms and Ammunition Evidence Management Course (EMC)

• Course on Combatting Arms and Ammunition Trafficking (CAAT)

General Assembly resolution 65/69 recognizes the valuable contribution of women to practical disarmament measures in the prevention and reduction of armed violence and armed conflict, and in promoting disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control and calls for the promotion of the equitable representation of women in all decision-making processes with regard to matters related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

UNLIREC supports implementation of this resolution by working with national and regional arms control and regulating authorities, law enforcement, judicial operators and legislators with a view to:

• integrating gender-sensitive perspectives into national arms control measures.
• Increasing the participation of female officers working on security and arms control.
• bolstering the technical capacity of women trained in specialized arms control measures.
• empowering women to meaningfully contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through practical disarmament efforts.
• generating evidence-based dialogue on the status of firearms possession and use in academic settings with a focus on women and girls.

With the support of:

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) – the first global, legally binding instrument – complements the UN PoA 2001 PoA in that it regulates the transfer of conventional arms by establishing international standards governing arms transfers. Robust implementation of this Treaty will help reduce the negative consequences of the uncontrolled trade in conventional arms, in particular, the lack of control that leads to the excessive proliferation of small arms and ammunition.

UNLIREC supports Latin American and Caribbean States in the implementation of this Treaty through:

• specialized capacity-building targeting import and export control authorities.
• support in the creation of national control lists.
• assistance in the development of import/export licensing structures.
• dissemination of risk assessment check-lists, templates and practical exercises.

With the Support of: