Current thinking recognises the role that small arms play in intensifying the effects of internal conflict, and undermining development. However, the linkages between armed conflict, social violence, small arms, and development are complex and difficult to research. How can practitioners assess and deal with the impact of small arms on development interventions?
This United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report addresses these issues, recommending a preventative approach that goes beyond interventions focussed only on security and disarmament. Violence using small arms is a major contributing factor to increased poverty and human insecurity. Small arms are cheap, portable and available, and are the weapons of choice in civil war and organised crime. Their direct impacts on human development are death and injury. However, indirect impacts also seriously affect development, although they are often unnoticed because they are hidden. A framework for assessing these direct and indirect impacts is outlined. Historically, reducing impacts has focussed on containing the supply of weapons. However, the report argues that it is essential to link this with a demand-side approach that addresses the root causes of conflict. This ties disarmament into broader human development issues.
The report finds that small arms multiply the effects of internal conflict. Combined with other risk factors, such as social marginalisation or systemic poverty, they create self- perpetuating cycles of violence. The main indirect impacts of small arms are:
- Criminal violence affects quality of life, labour productivity, the costs of goods and services, the value of property and investments, and tourism.
- The collapse of public services through attacks on health and education workers.
- The displacement of people internally and cross- border, and inhibiting and delaying resettlement. Firearm insecurity is a significant factor influencing household decisions to flee or migrate.
- Economic activity declines in both formal and informal sectors. Livelihoods are undermined.
- Social structures are damaged.
- Development assistance is withdrawn due to insecurity.
It is essential for development interventions to address both the supply of, and demand for, small arms. The policy implications of this include:
- An analysis of the root causes of conflict and social violence.
- Incorporating disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) within broader development programmes that address root causes, especially structural inequality and poverty.
- Creating alternative livelihoods for ex- combatants, to ensure that DDR reduces the risk of renewed violence.
- Generating awareness of the impacts of small arms among communities and policy makers.
- Ensuring that interventions embody the ‘do no harm’ principle by avoiding policies that exacerbate or trigger conflict.
