MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

MISSING PIECES
National Commissions can also be responsible for overseeing the review
of arms control legislation. In Brazil, the National Disarmament Commission
has helped develop a comprehensive Disarmament Statute, which
includes provisions regarding a national weapons collection and destruction
campaign, laws and articles on carrying firearms, the marking of
military and police ammunition, and the October 2005 National Referendum
on firearms sales to civilians. Similarly, one of the priorities of the
National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons in Mozambique
is to review the national legislation on firearms. It is also in the process of
launching a national small arms survey which will become a foundation
for a national action plan on small arms.
Another important role of National Commissions is public awarenessraising.
In Senegal, the National Commission is initiating educational
projects informing the population of the dangers caused by small arms
proliferation. Training workshops and awareness raising campaigns were
organised in conjunction with civil society groups. Additionally, the National
Commissions of several countries, including Togo and Sri Lanka, organised
the public destruction of firearms on International Gun Destruction
Day in 2004.
Given the multi-dimensional nature of the issue of firearms-related violence,
National Commissions should include a broad spectrum of members,
from government ministries to law enforcement agencies, parliamentarians,
and civil society.
The involvement of some ministries is always important, including for
example Home Affairs, Justice, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Women’s Affairs,
Police and Customs agencies, and importantly the ministry of Health.
The latter appears to be consistently omitted, despite increasing awareness
of the public health implications of small arms proliferation and misuse.
Canada and Nicaragua are notable exceptions in this regard. Broad membership
will also ensure consistency and integration of arms control plans
and initiatives into national security strategies and national poverty reduction
frameworks, which may occur in parallel.
The nature of the government ministry that leads or hosts the national
coordination agency can have a material impact on the agency’s scope
and effectiveness and may determine the focus or ‘agenda’ of the agency.
In Senegal, for instance, the National Commission is headed by a permanent
Secretariat, which is located in the Ministry of Armed Forces. Accordingly,
the Commission’s mandate indicates that its primary concern is addressing
the security implications of illicit small arms. Governments ought to
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