MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

MISSING PIECES
ernments and various departments to consider holistic approaches to
violence reduction, whether nationally or through overseas development
assistance.
3. Set clear, unambiguous and attainable targets, including in the short
term. Though changing attitudes and behaviours is a long-term incremental
process, it is vital to establish short-term objectives to generate
demonstration effects and ways to multiply progress. Moreover, objectives
must be clear and indicators measurable, while surveillance and evaluation
systems should be adequately installed, functional, and financed.
4. Civil society, municipal governments, police and affected groups should
be involved in planning, implementation and evaluation. Demand reduction
initiatives that bring together a broad range of stakeholders appear
more likely to be sustainable and meaningful. Approaches that adopt strategies
from the public health, community development, and criminal justice
sectors (as opposed to a single sector approach) also appear to contribute
to successful outcomes. In addition, there may be programming needs that
go beyond the scope of existing national and sub-regional organisations,
so governments and civil society should be prepared to create a range of
arrangements and institutions that can facilitate practical co-operation. 17
5. Encourage local ownership. Most demand reduction occurs at the local
level. As such, successful efforts must at the very least be responsive to
locally determined values, norms, and indicators. The cases profiled demonstrate
how key objectives were defined, target groups identified, and
interventions undertaken in a participatory fashion. Parliamentarians can
be active proponents of local initiatives to reduce demand for weapons,
through facilitating community engagement and input into gun control
efforts.
6. Coercive interventions and approaches to reduce demand for guns are
best combined with positive incentives. Coercive initiatives, focusing for
example on limiting access to guns, and more positive incentives such as
amnesties and awareness-raising campaigns, imply potentially competing
philosophies, investment requirements, and logistical opportunities and
constraints. However, a reflection on efforts to date suggests that simultaneous
approaches are especially effective.
Contributors to the original version of this theme include David Atwood,
Quaker United Nations Office, Geneva; Robert Muggah, Small Arms Survey;
and Mireille Widmer, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Comments and
120