Synergies of Prohibited Activities in the International, Regional and Sub-Regional Instruments on the Regulation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and/or Firearms (December 2025)

This is the first factsheet in a series that identifies key synergies on important thematic topics found in international and regional instruments that address control measures on small arms and light weapons (SALW). This factsheet was created in collaboration with the International Peace Information Service – IPIS.

The list of international and regional instruments that have been selected for the analysis of synergies are those legal and policy instruments that incorporate obligations or commitments specific enough for States to be held accountable, thus excluding mere policy declarations.

The aim of this series of factsheets is to reproduce exactly what has been agreed by States in the field of SALW control. Each factsheet addresses one SALW control topic showing synergies but also particularities in the texts. The purpose is to provide IANSA civil society network members with an accessible way to identify complementary measures in international and regional SALW control instruments and enable them to make proposals to national authorities and parliamentarians to address legislative and regulatory gaps in their country.

This factsheet of prohibitions in international and regional SALW control instruments can be used to analyse their own national laws and make proposals to their national authorities and parliamentarians to address legislative and regulatory gaps in their country.