MISSING PIECES - Inter-Parliamentary Union

MISSING PIECES
TABLE 2 ENTRY POINTS FOR ACTION ON ARMED GROUPS AND SMALL ARMS
CONTROL FOR PARLIAMENTARY ACTION 24
Problem
‘Supply’
How do
armed
groups get
weapons?
Legal/grey market transfers
Through arms brokers
Embargo busting
Trafficking
Possible responses
Adopt human rights and IHL
criteria for arms transfers
Ban transfers to groups
known to commit egregious
human rights violations
Introduce robust legislation
on brokering and ensure
prosecution of unscrupulous
arms brokers and shipping
agents
Better equip the UN to monitor
and enforce arms embargoes;
establish a UN embargoes unit
Ratify and implement the UN
Firearms Protocol
Tighten border controls
‘Demand’
How can the
demand for
weapons be
reduced?
Weak stockpile management
(e.g. looting of armouries)
Addressing inequality and
insecurity
Disarmament
Review the procedures and
facilities for safe storage and
registration of guns and
ammunition
Manifestations of inequality
and insecurity need to be
identified and addressed on a
case-by-case basis (for
example, unequal distribution
of resources, access to power,
trafficking in conflict goods)
Effective disarmament that
goes beyond weapons collection
related to cease-fires and
peace agreements and includes
‘weapons for development’
projects, long-term arms control
initiatives, regulation of
all civilian users, and detailed
reintegration strategies
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