Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapon

Outcome 1: Improved compliance with international SALW control instruments at the national and regional level through increased parliamentary action Over 170 actions were taken by parliamentarians that are members of the Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons (the Forum) during the entire project period. Members reported on a total of 85 legislative and oversight actions at the national and regional levels related to SALW control. Latin America and Caribbean was one of the regions, together with Africa, where a majority of actions accounted for were taken by the members. In 2017, members took numerous actions on Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) ratification in Brazil and Colombia, which in the case of Brazil contributed to the country ratifying the Treaty in the following year. Other topical issues in the region, where members have been active during the project, includes the establishment of national registry for ballistic data in Argentina and Trinidad and Tobago, and increased regulation of security staff, such as prohibiting carrying weapons off duty and using excessive force in Chile and Uruguay. Advocacy effort towards ATT ratification took place in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2017 and 2018 by several Forum members, as well as in Cameroon where the country finally deposited the instrument of ratification in 2018 following years of intensive parliamentary and advocacy work where Forum members contributed. Moreover, steps were taken by the Members for ATT implementation, including in Burkina Faso where a member was part of preparing, reviewing and adopting a law to support ATT implementation in 2019. In 2018, Forum members in the Philippines were part of a process reviewing the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Act and put forward several bills with suggested amendments. Outcome 2: Increased universalisation and implementation of the ATT, UN PoA and SDG 16.4 through the support and promotion of parliamentary participation and action in international processes. Members participated as panellists or moderator in international SALW-related disarmament initiatives over 40 times during the project period. The Forum hosted two side-events and participated actively with statements both at Biennial Meetings of States (BMS) 7 and the Seventh Conference of State Parties to the ATT (CSP 7), including during side events hosted by other relevant stakeholders. In 2016, in relation to BMS 6, the Forum held a side event which focused on how parliamentarians and health professionals can work towards the UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons UNPoA and the implementation of SDG 16.4. Moreover, the Forum actively advocated for the inclusion of parliamentarians in national delegations, including by reaching out to Members and various Heads of Delegation to support the inclusion of parliamentary representatives. As a result, members from Sweden and Uruguay were invited to form part of their delegations at BMS 6. Additionally, at the Third Revision Conference of the UN PoA in 2018, the Forum successfully advocated for the inclusion of the role of parliamentarians in the final report from the Conference. At BMS 7 in 2021, the Forum hosted a virtual side event in collaboration with the MFA of Sweden and Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), highlighting the key conclusions and recommendations from the regional webinars for Southeast Asia and Africa. Moreover, at BMS 7, the Forum had the opportunity to deliver a statement within the framework of the regular conference, in which the importance of preventing SALW-related violence and the role of parliamentarians was underlined. In 2021, the Forum hosted a virtual side event at the side lines of CSP 7. For the first time, the Forum was able to deliver a statement at CSP 7, thereby being able to specifically highlight the role of parliamentarians in ATT implementation and universalisation in a speech targeting state representatives, parliamentarians and other stakeholders present. Outcome 3: Strengthened parliamentary outreach, advocacy and awareness raising for the prevention and reduction of SALW related violence. The number of external media publications covering or relating the work of Members and the Forum, amounted to nearly 170 during the entire project period. Gender equality Promoting meaningful participation of women in a male dominated field has been a focus for the Forum. 42% of all participants in the key activities during the project period were women, which exceeded the set target of 40%. Between April 2020-June 2021, the Forum reached a total of 50% women participants in its activities which was the highest percentage during the project. Considering the low world average of 25.8% women parliamentarians in parliaments according the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), strengthening womens participation in peace and security processes is vital. The total number of female Members in the organisation reached 30% in 2020.

The Parliamentary Forum on Small and Light Weapons aims to contribute to the achievement of more peaceful and developed societies by parliamentary action against armed violence to increase human security. The Forum has the following outcomes in the revised results framework. 1. Improved compliance with international SALW control instruments at the national and regional level through increased parliamentary action. 2. Increased universalisation and implementation of the ATT, UNPoA and SDG 16.4 through the support and promotion of parliamentary participation and action in international processes. 3. Strengthened parliamentary outreach, advocacy and awareness raising for the prevention and reduction of SALW related violence. 4. Consolidated financial and operational sustainability of the Forum.