What could aid effectiveness mean in the context of small arms and light weapons (SALW)? How could existing frameworks and processes best be used to improve SALW assistance? States need to build longer-term and strategic approaches at the international and regional levels, and to take more immediate steps to improve the management, evaluation and measurement of SALW assistance.
The UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (PoA) is the principle international policy document for addressing SALW assistance and cooperation. With a Review Conference on PoA implementation in 2012, states need a better understanding of the direction they would like to take in framing and addressing SALW assistance.
Efforts to address small arms and light weapons (SALW) have included: the development of policy instruments that establish state commitment to address SALW; the creation of best practice guidelines and online tools that help states address the challenges posed by the illicit trade in SALW; and the provision of financial and technical assistance. However, there is no system in place for measuring the impact or cost-effectiveness of these efforts.
In addition, the scope and parameters of SALW assistance lack clear definition, and the assistance provided does not seem to match the expectations or needs of the majority of recipient states. Funding is unpredictable and inflexible, and:
- Many states requiring assistance have not assessed and articulated their priorities for addressing SALW in national strategies or action plans. Lack of resources is a constraint.
- Some regions have stronger, better resourced frameworks for facilitating SALW assistance than others.
- International and regional coordination and information-sharing on SALW assistance is inconsistent, as is the available data.
- Donor representatives working in fields connected with SALW, such as development or armed violence reduction, often do not have guidance on integrating, mainstreaming or supporting SALW activities.
- Monitoring and evaluation of SALW assistance concentrates on project outputs, rarely considering broader, longer-term outcomes. For example, the number of weapons collected or destroyed and the number of former combatants reintegrated do not provide insight into the number of weapons still in circulation, the quality of the weapons turned in (non-working weapons versus working weapons), or the real and perceived risks still faced by the population.
Principles of the Paris Declaration and its Accra Agenda for Action – notably ownership, alignment, harmonisation, managing for results and mutual accountability – can guide SALW assistance. However, to determine how SALW assistance can be made more measurable, geographically balanced and effective, further dialogue and study are necessary.
- National, regional and international coordination on SALW assistance is essential. This requires, for example, improved national strategies and coordination systems; and increased transparency, information sharing and systematic reporting of SALW activities (implemented, underway and needed) at all levels.
- Donors could provide predictable core funding for a clearing house and an implementation support unit for the PoA.
- A better understanding of SALW assistance is needed in development, armed violence reduction, public health, peacebuilding, women’s peace and security, and conflict prevention.
