What are the necessary steps in conducting a small arms and light weapon (SALW) awareness programme? How can programmers avoid inappropriate messages and materials, lack of sensitivity and other features of poorly designed SALW awareness programmes? This handbook from the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SEESAC) sets out principles and procedures for safe and effective SALW awareness programming.
SALW awareness programmes aim to minimise and eliminate the negative consequences of inadequate SALW control through risk education, advocacy and public information campaigns. The SALW awareness programme cycle involves: information collection and management; analysis and strategy planning; designing messages, activities and materials, and choosing media; field-testing; implementing activities; and evaluation. Monitoring and reviewing should be ongoing. This cycle helps to establish the feasibility and desirability of SALW awareness intervention and determine its appropriate form. It also helps to establish clear objectives based on thorough information gathering, allowing relevant and effective communication.
Core aspects of SALW awareness include clear objectives, different types of programme, community-based activities, safety issues and integration with other activities:
- A workable programme requires precise operational objectives, developed as part of a programme strategy derived from analysis of information gathered. Objectives may be related to knowledge, attitude, behaviour or institutional policy and practice.
- There are different types of SALW awareness programmes, including stand-alone risk education and SALW awareness in support of SALW control. The type of programme adopted will reflect local conditions.
- Where SALW control initiatives exist, programme objectives, methods and messages should support them. Programmers should consider integrating SALW collection, destruction and legislation events into communication efforts.
- Community participation is vital to changing behaviour, particularly in insecure, post-conflict or crime-affected environments.
- Programmes must promote safe behaviour and minimise the risk of casualties occurring. Care must also be taken to avoid conflict between SALW risk education and advocacy, and between SALW awareness and mine risk education.
- Comprehensive solutions require expertise and resources beyond the scope of SALW awareness programmes. SALW awareness programmes should, therefore, establish links with other programmes, sectors, agencies and reforms.
Applying the core concepts of SALW awareness and following the programme cycle enables the execution of a logical SALW awareness programme:
- Information collection enables understanding of SALW problems in specific communities, preparation for monitoring and evaluation and improved coordination and cooperation. It should take place on an ongoing basis and at all levels.
- Information analysis enables the planning of a strategy establishing goals, objectives, indicators and means of verification. This enables identification of target groups and communities and appropriate messages and means of communication.
- Messages should emphasise the benefits of behavioural change to target groups, who must participate in designing messages. Risk education requires curricula delivering messages on SALW threats, problems and risk reduction.
- The choice of means of communication should be based on programme strategy and context. This process must include target groups. Local culture, levels of access to and trust in different means of communication should also be considered.
- The Safer Community Plan is recommended as the key form of community-based activity. It involves the target community identifying needs and solutions, and appointing a representative to monitor and develop SALW awareness activities.
