Resources / Publications

The proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW) are evident in various ways at the global, regional, national, and local levels. In response, States and international organisations have launched several initiatives to tackle this issue. Principal among those initiatives is the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the […]

The United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons (UNPoA) is an international framework that enables the regular consideration of a wide range of measures at national, regional, and international levels to prevent, combat, and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light […]

In many countries the global and regional proliferation of small arms means that police and other law enforcers are under extreme pressure to counter rising levels of violent gun crime and are expected to confront armed offenders. In the process, ill-trained and ill-disciplined officers with guns sometimes kill, maim, and mistreat innocent people whom they […]

IANSA and the International Peace Information Service (IPIS) have developed a Fact Sheet on “Due Diligence Responsibilities of Businesses Involved in Small Arms and Light Weapons.” For over a decade, the international community has been developing guidelines for responsible business conduct for States and companies to prevent, address and remedy human rights abuses committed in […]

IANSA’s theme for the 2023 Global Week of Action was “Promoting Dialogue and a Culture of Peace: Taking Action to End Gun Proliferation and Violence!” IANSA called on its members to redouble their efforts to help end the illicit proliferation and misuse of SALW and for states to fulfill their commitments in the UN Programme of […]

For over two decades, the international community has sought to address the wide-ranging adverse effects of the proliferation and misuse of small arms and light weapons (SALW), and other conventional weapons.  This has resulted in several treaties and instruments created at the international level aimed at standardising global approaches to trade controls and national regulatory […]

IANSA has created two infographics to highlight the importance of effective implementation of the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UNPoA) and showcase the outcomes of our pilot project “Building Civil Society Dialogues with Governments to Promote National PoA […]

IANSA’s pilot project “Building Civil Society Dialogues with Governments to Promote National PoA Priorities” presented an opportunity for states and civil society to work together to deter proliferation and promote better regulation of small arms, consistent with the state’s relevant international and regional agreements. Twelve IANSA members spread across Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and […]

At the heart of the IANSA network is a shared commitment to raise public awareness of the dangers of small arms and light weapons (SALW) proliferation and violence, and to conduct fact-based advocacy of polices, laws and practical measures in constructive engagement with authorities to address the dangers in the countries where they are based. […]

This briefing paper considers links between controlling civilian possession of small arms at the national level and possible implications for global efforts to control the trade in small arms and light weapons (SALW). National-level controls on small arms have a strong effect on the viability of controls at regional and global levels. Allowing small arms […]