Co-organized by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) and the Small Arms Survey, this event highlighted the importance of accurately diagnosing the problem of illicit ammunition flows for effective policymaking and law enforcement. Indeed, international efforts to tackle trafficking in firearms tend to focus on the weapons and place less emphasis on the associated ammunition, in spite of the latter’s importance in enabling firearm-related crime and violence.

This webinar on weapons and explosives in North and West Africa was organized by the Survey's Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project. It is the first of a 5-part series of SANA Expert Briefings.

Small Arms Survey expert David Lochhead joins moderator Alaa Tartir (SANA Project Lead) for this discussion.The briefing was held on 11 May 2021 via Zoom.

In November 2019, the Small Arms Survey's Security Assessment in North Africa (SANA) project hosted a discussion on Libya; focusing on the ongoing conflict dynamics, the transformative nature and landscape of armed groups, and the future possibilities for the country and its people.

The Small Arms Survey 2010: Gangs, Groups, and Guns (Yearbook 2010) reviews a range of issues related to gangs and armed groups, focusing on their use of violence, as well as emerging efforts to prevent and curb the damage they inflict on society. The volume includes studies of prison gangs, girls in gangs, and pro-government groups; it also features case studies from Ecuador and Southern Sudan. Rounding out the book is original research on the global ammunition trade and on options for controlling illicit firearm transfers by air.

The Small Arms Survey 2009: Shadows of War (Yearbook 2009) contains two thematic sections.

The first highlights the challenges of ensuring security after the formal end of war and comprises an overview chapter and three case studies (Aceh, Afghanistan, and Southern Lebanon).

The second thematic section explores various aspects of small arms transfers, including the value of the authorized trade, national controls, and weapons tracing. Additional chapters focus on small arms measures and impacts.

The Small Arms Survey 2011: States of Security (Yearbook 2011) considers the growth of the private security industry and its firearms holdings worldwide; private security use by multinational corporations; emerging weapons technology ; and legislative controls over civilian possession of firearms. Case studies provide original research on ongoing security challenges in Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, and Madagascar.

The Small Arms Survey 2012: Moving Targets (Yearbook 2012) looks at what is changing, and not changing, in relation to armed violence and small arms proliferation. Chapters on firearm homicide in Latin America and the Caribbean, drug violence in selected Latin American countries, and non-lethal violence worldwide illustrate that security is a moving target; armed violence continues to undermine security and well-being around the world. The goal of curbing small arms proliferation, embodied in the UN Programme of Action, appears similarly elusive.

The Small Arms Survey 2013: Everyday Dangers (Yearbook 2013) explores the many faces of armed violence outside the context of conflict. Chapters on the use of firearms in intimate partner violence, the evolution of gangs in Nicaragua, Italian organized crime groups, and trends in armed violence in South Africa describe the dynamics and effects of gun violence in the home and on the street.

The Small Arms Survey 2014: Women and Guns (Yearbook 2014) considers the multiple roles of women in the context of armed violence, security, and the small arms agenda. The volume’s thematic section comprises one chapter on violence against women and girls—with a focus on post-conflict Liberia and Nepal—and another on the recent convergence of the small arms agenda with that of women, peace, and security. Complementing these chapters are illustrated testimonies of women with experience as soldiers, rebels, and security personnel.

The year 2018 was characterized by a decrease in lethal violence in several of the world’s hotspots, primarily due to a significant de-escalation of the armed conflicts in Iraq, Myanmar, South Sudan, and Syria. The homicide rate also decreased marginally due to population growth outpacing the nominal increase in killings between 2017 and 2018. These two trends jointly resulted in a modest positive change in the rate of violent deaths globally in 2018 which, at 7.8 violent deaths per 100,000 population, is at its lowest since 2012.