With the presence of:
Ambassador Thomas GREMINGER (Head of Political Division IV, Human Security)
Pr. Keith KRAUSE (Small Arms Survey)
Dr. Amin WENNMANN (Small Arms Survey)
Mr. Paul EAVIS (UNDP)
Chaired by:
Dr. Patricia LEWIS
(Introduced by Amb. Thomas GREMINGER)
Armed violence undermines Aid and Development aids/programs. It therefore affected the Millenium Development Goals (MDG) too.
The Geneva Declaration is an iniative that has been adopted in June 2006. 42 States and 17 international organizations (in 2008, 71 States have adopted the Geneva Declaration) gathered in Geneva for a Ministerial Summit on Armed Violence and Development. It was hosted by Switzerland and UNDP.
The objectives now are:
1- Raise global awareness of the international community to this issue
2-Support of peacebuilding and post conflict reconstruction
3-Strenghten efforts to achieve a measurable reduction in the burden of armed violence and tangible improvement in human security by 2015.
There is a Core Group of States (Brazil, Finland, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland = Chair of this group, Thailand and the United Kingdom). It has to promote the implementation of the Geneva Declaration through concrete and practical measures. The framework for the Implementation is based on 3 pillars:
A) Advocacy
Now, 71 States have adopted the Geneva Declaration. To better promote the principles of the Geneva Declaration and its Framework for Implemenation in the different regions of the globe, a series of regional meetings are being organized.
-April 2007 in Guatemala for the Latin America and Caribbean region. Concrete measures have been taken: Regional Declaration of Guatemala on Armed Violence and Development.
-October 2007 in Nairobi for the African continent. The 29 States adopted the African Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.
- A regional meeting for Asia will be held in Bangkok on 8 and 9 May 2008
Another meeting is planned for the Middle East.
A Ministerial Review Summit on Armed Violence and Development will take place on 12 September 2008, in Geneva.
B) Measurability and Research
(Presented both by Pr. Keith KRAUSE and Dr. Amin WENNMANN)
Difficulty to measure Armed Violence because:
Change in the nature of armed violence. In fact, nowadays, armed violences refer to warlords conflicts, transnational criminal, violence in non conflict situations... Focus has shifted from Conflict to Armed violence.
No international definition of Armed Violence, however Pr. Krause focus on:
-physical violence
-use of arms (major vector for violence but not only)
-illegitimate force
The purpose of Measurability and Research:
to identify who are the most vulnerable, who's most at risk, who are the perpatrators, what are the other factors that lead to armed violence (existence of gangs...)...
There are so many questions but little answers.
The aim: to provide tools for the international and national community to measure armed violence, then develop evidence based policy. Those tools would also enhance aid effectiveness
C) Programming
(Presented by Mr. Paul EAVIS)
The Geneva Declaration is implemented on the ground in chosen focus countries : Burundi, Guatemala and Jamaica.
What do these programs look like? It depends on the country but there are key elements.
1-Need to have guidelines. Evidence based programs. Surveys.
2-Strengthen national capacities. Program must be rooted on national realities.
3-Develop policies related to armed violence prevention.
Need of clear policy framework for the Governments.
4-Develop the capacity of national institutions to prevent violence
Need of technical and human ressource assistance.
Importance of local level. Civil society= crucial partner, dialogue with the government.
5-Develop targeted initiatives.
Range of intervations : large
Programs:
-need to be Comprehensive in scope and evidence based
-require
- work at national and community level
- an effective coordination within Governments, between government and civil society, and between donors
- developing national capacities and ownership
For further informations, go to:
wwww.genevadeclaration.org
MJ
