Small Arms Survey podcasts

Gender dimensions of the life-cycle management of ammunition (LCMA) Oct 27, 2020

The life-cycle management of ammunition—or LCMA—is a set of interconnected processes and activities designed to keep the ammunition stockpiles of national authorities safe and secure while meeting their strategic and operational needs. As work continues to mainstream gender into security sector institutions and practices, ammunition management efforts in this field lag behind. What are the gender dimensions of ammunition management, both in terms of meaningful participation and decision-making at all levels and stages of the life cycle, as well as the differentiated impacts of weak LCMA practices on women, men, girls, and boys? Addressing these issues and giving their insights on the gendered impacts of unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) and ammunition diversion, are Katherine Prizeman from UNODA and Emile LeBrun from the Small Arms Survey.

North Korea’s illicit maritime activities in violation of UN sanctions Feb 07, 2020

In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast, we focus on North Korea’s illicit maritime activities in violation of UN sanctions. We discuss what these activities are; how they relate to the UN sanctions regime on North Korea in general as well as the arms embargo in particular; how North Korea tries to circumvent these restrictions; and the tools available to monitor and address the situation. Giving their expert insight on these topics are Cristina Rotaru, researcher for the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC); and Cameron Trainer, research associate at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. This episode forms part of the Small Arms Survey project Strengthening Implementation and Enforcement of the Arms Embargo on North Korea (SAENK), supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Illicit arms trafficking from North Korea Dec 18, 2019

This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on illicit arms trafficking from North Korea, including sources of arms, routes and modes of transport, concealment methods, and ways to curb such trafficking. Our discussants are Bruce Bechtol, North Korea expert as well as professor of Political Science, Angelo State University; and Matt Schroeder, senior researcher, Small Arms Survey, and author of the Survey’s upcoming Briefing Paper on the mechanics of North Korean arms trafficking. The episode forms part of the Small Arms Survey project Strengthening Implementation and Enforcement of the Arms Embargo on North Korea (SAENK), supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Gender in Small Arms Control Aug 30, 2019

This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on gender in small arms control, as part of the Gender Lens for Arms Control Support and Sustainability (GLASS) project, funded by the Government of Canada. The Small Arms Survey will publish a Handbook on gender and arms control later in 2019, the authors and editor of which are discussants in this episode: • Vanessa Corlazzoli, independent evaluation consultant • Emile LeBrun, Small Arms Survey consultant • Henri Myrttinen, independent researcher • Allison Pytlak, disarmament programme manager, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on gender in small arms control, as part of the Gender Lens for Arms Control Support and Sustainability (GLASS) project, funded by the Government of Canada. The Small Arms Survey will publish a Handbook on gender and arms control later in 2019, the authors and editor of which are discussants in this episode: • Vanessa Corlazzoli, independent evaluation consultant • Emile LeBrun, Small Arms Survey consultant • Henri Myrttinen, independent researcher • Allison Pytlak, disarmament programme manager, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on gender in small arms control, as part of the Gender Lens for Arms Control Support and Sustainability (GLASS) project, funded by the Government of Canada.

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites: 2019 update Jun 17, 2019

This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS). Our speakers, Jovana Carapic, Remo Gassmann, and Benjamin King, discuss the problem at hand, the causes behind these explosions, as well as their consequences. The episode forms part of our Gender Lens for Arms Control Support and Sustainability (GLASS) project, funded by the Government of Canada.

Conflict and peacebuilding in Libya: the role of women Dec 10, 2018

This episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series focuses on Libyan female fighters and the role of women during the Libyan conflict and post-conflict peacebuilding, as part of the Survey’s Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project.

Counting casualties: Operationalizing SDG 16.1.2 in Libya Jun 21, 2018

In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series, Small Arms Survey consultant Hana Salama—author of our February 2018 Briefing Paper Counting Casualties: Operationalizing SDG 16.1.2 in Libya—speaks about the challenges involved in measuring casualties in conflict settings. The Briefing Paper and the podcast both form part of our Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project, which focuses on supporting those engaged in building a more secure environment in North Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region.

Arms Control 2.0—Operationalizing SDG Target 16.4 Apr 20, 2018

In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series, senior researcher and managing editor Glenn McDonald—author of our October 2017 Briefing Paper Arms Control 2.0—Operationalizing SDG Target 16.4—discusses how the implementation of international arms control instruments supports the aim of reducing illicit arms flows in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 16.4.

Exhibition 'Line of Sight' - Exposition 'Ligne de mire' Mar 05, 2018

This episode (in French) features excerpts from interviews collected for the exhibition 'Line of Sight', hosted by the Museum of Design and Contemporary Applied Arts (MUDAC) in Lausanne, Switzerland from 14 March to 26 August 2018. These range from the museum's artistic approach to the exhibit, to the perspectives on firearms in Switzerland, as well as a global point of view on the international arms trade.

Loss of Arms and Ammunition in Peace Operations Jan 31, 2018

In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series, our Director Eric Berman discusses our Making Peace Operations More Effective (MPOME) project and our October 2017 report Making a Tough Job more Difficult: Loss of Arms and Ammunition in Peace Operations.

Measuring Illicit Arms Flows in the Context of Sustainable Development Goal 16 - An International Framework for Action Jul 24, 2017

The third installment of the Small Arms Survey podcast series on illicit arms flows discusses Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG16), target 16.4, and its associated indicator, 16.4.2. Experts featured in this episode clarify the international framework for action in addressing the problem of illicit arms flows. In their interviews, they focus on the evolution in the formulation of indicator 16.4.2, meant to measure progress made in achieving target 16.4, namely the significant reduction of illicit arms flows by 2030. The analysis stresses the crucial role of weapons tracing in the estimation of illicit arms flows, underlines the importance of international arms control instruments in reaching target 16.4, and highlights the contributions different national and international actors can make to these efforts. The experts interviewed are Glenn McDonald, Small Arms Survey senior researcher, Simonetta Grassi, Head of the Global Firearms Programme Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking Branch, Division for Treaty Affairs (DTA/OCB) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – UNODC, Angela Me, Chief Research and Trend Analysis Branch United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Ivor Fung, Officer-in-Charge, Conventional Arms Branch United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs.

Measuring Illicit Arms Flows in Non-Conflict Contexts May 08, 2017

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that form Agenda 2030 provide a universal policy framework to which states have committed, and within which they operate towards achieving inclusive development. SDG16 sets out to achieve peaceful, just, and inclusive societies, with its fourth target focusing specifically on significantly reducing illicit arms flows to achieve this goal. The second instalment of the Small Arms Survey podcast series dedicated to measuring illicit arms flows discusses gathering data in non-conflict settings. While most of the countries in the world can be classified as ‘non-conflict’, there are still significant variations from one region to another. Featured experts talk about the challenges and opportunities they face while conducting such research, as well as the links between conflict and non-conflict areas that have an impact on this endeavour. The podcasts presents inputs by Nils Duquet, Researcher at the Flemish Peace Institute; Nicolas Florquin Senior Researcher and Research Coordinator at the Small Arms Survey; Lina Grip, Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI); and Matt Schroeder, Senior Researcher at the Small Arms Survey. Podcasts in the same series: - Documenting illicit arms in non-conflict situations - Measuring Illicit Arms Flows in Non-Conflict Contexts - A discussion on the revised global indicator 16.4.2 (coming soon)

Documenting Illicit Arms Flows in Conflict and Post-Conflict Environments Mar 31, 2017

Measuring illicit arms flows is one of the challenges faced by states in their efforts to monitor progress in implementing Sustainable Development Goal 16, target 16.4. Fulfilling its mission as the principal international source of impartial and public information on all aspects of small arms and armed violence, the Small Arms Survey brings in a series of podcasts the voices of researchers with relevant experience concerning the issue at hand. The first installment of the series features Holger Anders, Researcher on Illicit Arms Trafficking; James Bevan, Executive Director, Conflict Armament Research; Nicolas Florquin, Senior Researcher and Research Coordinator, Small Arms Survey; and Savannah de Tessières, currently a consultant with the Small Arms Survey and the UN, each talking about illicit arms flows in conflict and post-conflict contexts. The Small Arms Survey produces these podcasts in parallel to case studies on measuring illicit arms flows in: Honduras (available in English and Spanish), Somalia (available in English and Arabic), Niger (English, French forthcoming), and Ukraine (forthcoming). Podcasts in the same series: - Documenting illicit arms in non-conflict situations - Measuring Illicit Arms Flows in Non-Conflict Contexts - A discussion on the revised global indicator 16.4.2 (coming soon)

Monitoring UN Arms Embargoes: Observations from Panels of Experts (Part 2) Nov 10, 2016

In the second of this two-part interview, lead author of Monitoring UN Arms Embargoes, Emile LeBrun discusses what makes an effective expert, the importance of cooperation between expert panels and UN peacekeeping operations, the kinds of political interference that experts face in fulfilling their duties, and some of the tools and methods experts have evolved to more effectively implement their mandates.

Monitoring UN Arms Embargoes: Observations from Panels of Experts (Part 1) Nov 10, 2016

A new report from the Small Arms Survey assesses the operational challenges facing UN panels of experts, and in particular the arms experts that sit on those panels, in their work to monitor UN arms embargoes. The report, based on interviews with sitting and former experts from panels covering embargoes in Cote d’Ivoire, DRC, Eritrea, Libya, Somalia, and Sudan, also describes methods and tools that panels are evolving to more effectively implement their mandate. In the first of this two-part interview, lead author Emile LeBrun describes the evolving roles of panels of experts, the objectives and methods of the study undertaken, and some of the key findings.

Syria's Armed Opposition: A Spotlight on the 'Moderates' Apr 06, 2016

More than four years after the start of the Syrian uprising, over a thousand armed groups are involved in fighting that has consumed the country. The latest podcast from the Small Arms Survey’s Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project investigates the moderate opposition in the Syrian conflict: what types of organizations have they developed? How do they acquire resources, including fighters and materiel? How do they govern the territories they hold? And among so many opposition groups, how do they coordinate with their allies and define their enemies? Exploring findings from the recent SANA Dispatch, Syria’s Armed Opposition: A Spotlight on the ‘Moderates’, the report’s author Saskia Bass and Small Arms Survey Research Coordinator Nicolas Florquin provide insights into a constantly evolving set of actors.

There and Back: North African Fighters in Syria Oct 07, 2015

More than 20,000 foreign fighters have fought in Syria, mostly for jihadist groups like Islamic State (IS), and North Africa has provided a large portion of these foreign fighters. The Small Arms Survey's Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project has investigated the motivations and pathways that take North African fighters to Syria. The Issue Brief There and Back: Trajectories of North African Foreign Fighters in Syria, based on available literature, media reports, and interviews with experts, activists, and Syrians who have lived under the yoke of IS, explores the motivations of North African fighters, including how they were recruited and how they made their way from their home countries to the Syrian battlefields. In this Small Arms Survey podcast, the authors, consultant Laurent Vinatier and Arabic Outreach Coordinator Hasnaa El Jamali, discuss their research and its findings.

Women and Armed Violence: Peace and Gender Equality Jul 14, 2015

On the 1st of June the Public Panel Discussion “Women and Armed Violence: Peace and Gender Equality” was hosted at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva. Part of the TERRE DES FEMMES Switzerland annual speaker series, VOIX DES FEMMES, the event was also organised by the Small Arms Survey and the Graduate Institute’s Programme on Gender and Global Change (PGGC).

The Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts Jun 23, 2015

Every Body Counts is the 2015 edition of the Global Burden of Armed Violence, which reveals that while violent deaths have decreased globally, armed conflict has become more lethal. The publication estimates that 508,000 people died violently each year during 2007–12. While this figure shows a decline, the proportion of conflict-related deaths has increased. In this podcast Ambassador Claude Wild of the Swiss Government's Human Security Division, UNDP Geneva Director Neil Buhne, and Small Arms Survey Programme Director Keith Krause explain the significance and its relevance to security and the post-2015 sustainable development framework.

Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World - Part 2 Jun 03, 2015

In the second installment of this two-episode podcast on 'Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World', Yearbook Coordinator Glenn McDonald and Researcher Claudia Seymour introduce the four case studies discussing armed actors, focusing on their procurement and use of small arms, and their stockpile management practices.

Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World - Part 1 Jun 01, 2015

The Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World explores the theme of weapons and the environment, as well as offering case studies on a range of aspects of small arms and armed violence. In the first of this two-episode podcast, Senior Researcher Khristopher Carlson and Yearbook Coordinator Glenn McDonald discuss five of the book's chapters, covering weapons and the environment, trade in weapons, and measures to regulate and control small arms.

Weapons Trafficking and the New Development Agenda: Reducing illicit arms flows and SDG Goal 16 Apr 24, 2015

The second part of the two-part podcast discussing the Small Arms Survey's engagement in measuring SDG Goal 16, which focuses on peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and accountable institutions. This episode examines SDG Target 16.4, which calls for a significant reduction in illicit arms flows. Beyond acknowledging the link between illicit weapons, armed violence, and insecurity, it is crucial to identify ways of measuring and understanding the illicit arms trade. Senior Researcher Glenn McDonald provides a comprehensive account of how this can be achieved in the framework of Goal 16. The Small Arms Survey has recently published a Research Note on the topic, 'Reducing Illicit Arms Flows and the New Development Agenda'. The Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts, which offers a wealth of data relevant to security and the post-2015 sustainable development framework, is due for release on 11 May 2015.

Indicators for achieving sustainable development: Measuring violent deaths and SDG Goal 16 Apr 17, 2015

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a new proposed framework to come into effect after the Millennium Development Goals. Amongst them, Goal 16 focuses on peaceful and inclusive societies, access to justice, and accountable institutions. This goal is a significant step towards recognizing that preventing and reducing violence is essential for development. In the first part of this two-episode podcast Small Arms Survey experts explain how the Global Burden of Armed Violence (GBAV) initiative offers useful methodology for implementing SDG Target 16.1, which calls for measurable reductions in armed violence. Research Director Anna Alvazzi del Frate, Senior Researcher and Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Luigi De Martino, and Researcher Irene Pavesi discuss the GBAV initiative, its context, and its relevance to SDG Goal 16. For further reading see Note 49 Every Body Counts: Measuring Violent Deaths, March 2015. Research Note No. 49, Armed Violence. The third volume in the GBAV series, Global Burden of Armed Violence 2015: Every Body Counts, is due for release on 11 May 2015.

Reporting from the Frontline: Weapons identification for journalists Feb 09, 2015

In September 2014, in Istanbul, the Small Arms Survey held a weapons identification workshop for journalists reporting from conflict areas. Meeting the need for precise contextual information on the weapons used in conflict, and their origins, Small Arms Survey researchers introduced journalists to weapons identification techniques and practical considerations. By encouraging closer collaboration between journalists, researchers, and other specialists, the Survey contributes to better a understanding of the dynamics of weapons and conflict. In this episode project coordinator Benjamin King and consultant Damien Spleeters report on how the workshop unfolded, and announce plans for further action in this area.

New Technologies, New Control Challenges, Part 2: Modular weapons, conversion, and smart technologies Oct 22, 2014

The dialogue continues on developments in weapons technology and the challenges they present for arms control. Benjamin King and Glenn McDonald explain how the modular design of weapons systems complicates weapons marking, record -keeping, and tracing. They also examine the issues raised by the conversion of replica firearms into viable weapons; and they consider how new weapons technology presents opportunities for improved stockpile management. This is the second part of a two-part podcast that covers a series of discussion papers being presented in October 2014 at the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security.

New Technologies, New Control Challenges, Part 1: Polymers, 3D printing, and appropriate policies Oct 20, 2014

New developments in small arms manufacturing, technology, and design pose important challenges for weapons marking, record keeping, and tracing. The Small Arms Survey has drafted a series of discussion papers to be presented at the UN First Committee on Disarmament and International Security in October 2014. These papers, which are due for public release later in the year as chapters in an Occasional Paper, cover a range of subjects: the additive manufacturing (also known as 3D printing) of small arms; the use of new polymers; modular weapons design; smart technologies; and the conversion of replica firearms to fully functioning firearms. In the first installment of this podcast, series editors Benjamin King and Glenn McDonald talk to us about the need for arms control policies that take these developments into account, with a detailed discussion of new polymers and additive manufacturing.

Instruments of Crime: Illicit weapons in the United States Sep 23, 2014

Contrary to the impression given by Hollywood's depictions, most firearms seized from drug traffickers and gang members in the United States are handguns, not automatic rifles or sub-machine guns. In this podcast, senior researcher Matt Schroeder highlights and explains key findings from his analysis of more than 140,000 records on firearms seized from criminals in eight US cities. These findings were released this summer as a chapter in Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and Guns.

Step by Step: Researching the global distribution of small arms Sep 04, 2014

Around 875 million firearms are in circulation worldwide, with three-quarters of these in civilian hands, according to Small Arms Survey estimates. These widely-cited calculations are the result of an ongoing programme on inventories and stockpiles—started over a decade ago—to gather comprehensive data on the distribution of small arms and light weapons around the world. The programme has developed an ever larger pool of information that was initially scarce and unsystematic, but now can provide increasingly accurate and up-to-date knowledge of small arms and light weapon holdings. In this podcast, Senior Consultant Aaron Karp and Researcher Hannah Dönges discuss the challenges, achievements, and future directions of this initiative.

The Dangers of Excess Munitions Stockpiles: the UEMS Handbook Jul 22, 2014

Unplanned explosions at munitions sites (UEMS) are a significant safety concern for governments and a major security challenge for the international community. The Small Arms Survey has documented more than 500 such incidents in 100 countries over the 35-year period from 1979 to 2013. The Handbook 'Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS): Excess Stockpiles as Liabilities rather than Assets', published in June 2014, is a reference and training tool that provides contextual information and analysis .useful for policy makers, programmers, and practitioners addressing stockpile management and surplus destruction concerns. In this podcast, Eric Berman, Small Arms Survey Managing Director and co-editor of the Handbook, provides insights into the data it presents, outlines the Handbook's utility, and notes future plans for its development.

The Crisis in South Sudan, Part Two: No easy solution Jul 02, 2014

The Small Arms Survey's Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) for Sudan and South Sudan has documented armed conflict dynamics in the two countries since 2006. In a May 2014 interview, HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, author of several HSBA reports, describes recent developments in South Sudan's political and humanitarian crisis, which has continued to evolve since December 2013. The second part of this two-part podcast, based on a May 2014 interview with HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, describes the current military situation in South Sudan and outlines possible scenarios for South Sudan's future. For an extended version of the interview and its transcript, please visit www.smallarmssurveysudan.org.

The Crisis in South Sudan, Part One: Understanding the impasse Jun 26, 2014

The Small Arms Survey's Human Security Baseline Assessment (HSBA) for Sudan and South Sudan has documented armed conflict dynamics in the two countries since 2006. In a May 2014 interview, HSBA consultant Joshua Craze, author of several HSBA reports, describes recent developments in South Sudan's political and humanitarian crisis, which has continued to evolve since December 2013. In the first part of the interview, he describes the current crisis and the many competing stakeholders and claims; the second part of the interview, to follow, outlines possible scenarios for the country's future. For an extended version of the interview and its transcript, please visit www.smallarmssurveysudan.org.

MANPADS: Surface-to-air threats and security Jun 06, 2014

Man-portable air defence systems--MANPADS--are lightweight, usually shoulder-launched, surface-to-air missiles. These weapons systems have proliferated in conflict zones, and their widespread acquisition by non-state armed groups has attracted attention and caused disquiet amongst the security sector. In this podcast the Small Arms Survey's Matt Schroeder discusses the use of MANPADS and the challenges they present to the research community and to security providers.

On the Edge? Trafficking and Insecurity at the Tunisian–Libyan Border Mar 24, 2014

Small Arms Survey’s Working Paper On the Edge? Trafficking and Insecurity at the Tunisian–Libyan Border examines the effects of the Libyan armed conflict and its aftermath on the security situation in Tunisia. Based on primary field research conducted in the Jefara region, which borders Libya, the study delves into the complex interactions between actors and processes, in a politically and economically turbulent region. In this podcast Dr. Moncef Kartas, the report author and coordinator of the Security Assessment In North Africa (SANA) project, discusses the study's scope and the policy implications of its findings.

Controlling Small Arms - Part 2: Achievements, challenges, and future directions Mar 10, 2014

In the second installment of this two-part podcast discussing the book Controlling Small Arms: Consolidation, Innovation and Relevance in Research and Policy, chapter authors talk about the gains made in small arms control during fifteen years of research, policy and advocacy efforts. They draw attention to several current challenges, and map out some of the ways forward for research and action.

Controlling Small Arms - Part 1: Evolution of the research and policy agendas Feb 28, 2014

Controlling Small Arms: Consolidation, Innovation and Relevance in Research and Policy is a new book from the Small Arms Survey, published by Routledge, which maps out the evolution of our knowledge on small arms issues, and discusses practical implementation of programmes and processes, both at the national level and globally. The two-part podcast brings together some of the chapter authors to reflect on 15 years of research and policy development in the area of small arms research and policies. In this first installment, chapter authors discuss the interaction between research and policy, describing the community involved in small arms issues, and their distinct perspectives.

In Search of Security in Sudan and South Sudan: the HSBA project Jan 09, 2014

The Human Security Baseline Assessment for Sudan and South Sudan (HSBA) is a multi-year project of the Small Arms Survey. The HSBA project was established in 2005 in the wake of the comprehensive peace agreement between the government of Sudan and the Sudan’s People Liberation Movement, which put an end to 20 years of civil strife, in order to gauge the security situation and provide information on small arms and security issues. The project serves to support violence reduction initiatives through its research and dissemination of salient information. Findings are regularly released as Issue Briefs, Working Papers, and online Facts & Figures reports. In this podcast HSBA series editor Emile Lebrun and HSBA project coordinator Jonah Leff discuss the project and some of its findings.

A Fresh Approach to Ammunition Demilitarization: Guiding policies to reduce excess stockpiles Nov 18, 2013

The Regional Approach to Stockpile Reduction (RASR) initiative encourages nine affected South-east European governments to develop a pro-active, coordinated, regional approach to secure and destroy excess stockpiles. The RASR initiative's aim is to prevent disastrous explosions and misuse of conventional weapons and munitions. The Small Arms Survey has provided support to its activities since its creation, by maintaining the RASR website, participating in workshops, and carrying out essential research. In this podcast the Small Arms Survey's Jovana Carapic and Pierre Gobinet explain the policy-relevant link between Survey research related to the RASR initiative and a recent study on the ammunition demilitarization industry.

Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers - Part 2 Oct 24, 2013

Each year the Small Arms Survey yearbook presents several chapters that update specific recurring themes. In the second instalment of the podcast on this year's edition, Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers, Yearbook Coordinator Glenn McDonald introduces the chapters on international regulation of small arms, demilitarization, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Senior Researcher Nicolas Florquin provides updates on the Survey’s multi-year study on illicit weapons and ammunition markets, and the Transparency Barometer, which monitors how states report on small arms transfers.

Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers - Part 1 Oct 21, 2013

The findings of the Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers were presented in New York on 21 October 2013 at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations, on the first day of the 68th session of the United Nations First Committee, on Disarmament and International Security. The Small Arms Survey 2013, launched in July in Geneva, focuses on small arms and armed violence outside war zones. In this first instalment of a two-part episode on the flagship publication, Research Director Anna Alvazzi del Frate and Senior Researcher Nicolas Florquin discuss the yearbook's central themes. A second instalment will offer insights into the Small Arms Survey yearbook's recurring topics.

Finding Pathways to Peace: Part 2 - Policy action based on armed violence monitoring systems Sep 04, 2013

This two-part podcast is based on interviews with participants at the Expert Meeting on armed violence observatories and monitoring systems held on 26-28 June 2013 by the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, the Small Arms Survey, and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform. The first set of interviews looked at why armed violence monitoring systems are needed and how they work. The second installment of the podcast brings testimonies on the challenges of using data gathered by armed violence observatories to build policy action. Discussing these issues are Geneva Declaration Project Coordinator Luigi De Martino, UNDP Sudan Max Halty, ISS Pretoria’s Crime and Justice Hub Manager Lizette Lancaster, and criminologist Yann-Cedric Quéro, from the Université of Montréal.

Finding Pathways to Peace: Part 1 - Systems and observatories for monitoring armed violence Jul 30, 2013

On 26-28 June 2013 the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, the Small Arms Survey, and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform held an Expert Meeting on armed violence observatories and monitoring systems. In this two-part podcast, meeting participants talk about the purpose, the functions, and the challenges faced by armed violence monitoring systems worldwide. In Part 1, on why such systems are needed and the way they work, we hear from Geneva Declaration Project Coordinator Luigi De Martino, Small Arms Survey Programme Director Keith Krause, Somali Observatory of Conflict and Violence Prevention General Director Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, and ISS Pretoria’s Crime and Justice Hub Manager Lizette Lancaster.

Nepal's Uneasy Peace: Perceptions of security and armed violence Jun 26, 2013

Seven years after the conclusion of a historical peace agreement, Nepal's political situation continues to be unsettled. Yet despite persistent volatility, a recent survey conducted by the Nepal Armed Violence Assessment, a Small Arms Survey project, found that most Nepali people feel confident that the security situation has improved. Mihaela Racovita, Associate Researcher at the Small Arms Survey and lead author of the Special Report 'In Search of Lasting Security: An Assessment of Armed Violence in Nepal', tells us more about these findings, and explains why it is useful to gauge the population's perceptions of armed violence and security in Nepal.

South Africa’s Gun Control Policies: Work in progress Jun 10, 2013

South Africa is severely affected by the impacts and costs of armed violence, and has one of the highest rates of lethal violence against women. South African authorities and civil society have long been active in tackling this situation, and their efforts have resulted in some of the most comprehensive gun control legislation. Natalie Jaynes, Small Arms Survey researcher and author of a chapter on South Africa in the upcoming 'Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers', discusses current challenges and further steps towards improvement.

In Transition: Armed groups in Libya May 21, 2013

Two years after Libyan revolutionary forces deposed Colonel Muammar Qadaffi’s regime, Libya's complex state-building process continues. Local and regional armed groups, including Libya's revolutionary brigades, have an important role to play in this process, although there is no clear understanding of how. As part of its focus project on Libya and North Africa, the Small Arms Survey has commissioned research on the identities and functions of armed groups in the country and region. Small Arms Survey consultants Peter Cole and Brian McQuinn raise some essential points to be taken into account when considering Libya's future, and in particular the part that these groups play.

The Arms Trade Treaty: From adoption to implementation Apr 30, 2013

Adopted on 2 April 2013 by an overwhelming majority of states in the UN General Assembly, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is a milestone in the global regulation of the arms trade, but is not without its flaws. Small Arms Survey senior researchers Glenn McDonald and Sarah Parker, both participants in the treaty negotiations, discuss the development of the ATT, and the strengths and weaknesses of the final result.

Firearms and Violence: World trends and specific cases Apr 04, 2013

In a presentation organized in March 2013 at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Prof. Keith Krause, Small Arms Survey programme director, addressed some of the topical issues related to lethal violence and firearms worldwide. In this podcast we introduce highlights of the presentation, which touched upon subjects that the Small Arms Survey analyses in depth in its publications and reports. For further research visit our Publications pages.

Armed Violence: A unified approach to a global problem Mar 20, 2013

Contrary to widespread belief, areas of armed conflict are not the main scene of armed violence and its devastating effects. While conflict hotspots like civil wars and military interventions attract global attention, other forms of armed violence often place far greater strains on societies, incurring devastating costs for individuals, communities, and economies as a whole. In this Small Arms Survey podcast Luigi De Martino, Coordinator of the Secretariat of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, and Matthias Nowak, Associate Researcher, provide an overview of the notion of armed violence, and discuss why its investigation can be useful for research and for building stronger policies to stimulate development.

Global Burden of Armed Violence: When the victim is a woman Mar 06, 2013

This year, the fifty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 4 to 15 March 2013. The Priority theme of the session is the Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls. Small Arms Survey, within the framework of its global studies on armed violence in support of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development (Global Brurden of Armed Violence) makes an important contribution to ongoing debates concerning this issue, by examining the understudied but widespread problem of femicide. Anna Alvazzi del Frate, Small Arms Survey Research director and author of several reports on armed violence and violence against women outlines the challenges in getting accurate and useful data for policymaking, as well as some significant findings obtained so far.

Elections in Kenya: Avoiding violence in 2013 Feb 27, 2013

In March 2013 Kenya goes to the polls. The elections occur against a backdrop of tension and controversy: two of the four main contenders face charges at the International Criminal Court relating to the 2007–08 post-election violence; the previous electoral round left behind numerous victims, displaced people, and economic damage. During the build-up to the current election there have been eruptions of violence in political hotspots. Small Arms Survey consultant Manasseh Wepundi—author of a study on Kenyan electoral violence and another on firearms and security in Kenya—discusses the enduring impacts of the catastrophic violence which occurred in the past electoral cycle, and explains some of the precautions being taken to avoid a recurrence.

Regional Organizations & the UN PoA: Setting the scene for cooperation Feb 13, 2013

In this episode, the Small Arms Survey’s Managing Director, Eric Berman, talks about the handbook on 'Regional Organzations and the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms (PoA)', a valuable guide to the regional actors and institutions involved in tackling the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.

Looking back, moving forward Jan 30, 2013

Welcome to the Small Arms Survey's new audio podcast series. In the first episode Small Arms Survey founder and programme director Keith Krause takes you through the Survey's history, from its origins to its current activities and impacts. Thirteen years of Small Arms Survey activities have yielded a multitude of publications, and refined the Survey's research methodologies for a range of issues related to small arms and light weapons worldwide. To make sure you don't miss future episodes, you can subscribe to this podcast series on iTunes.

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