Portada de la Convención de Naciones Unidas contra la Delincuencia Organizada Transnacional

Firearms Programme

THE CHALLENGE

The circulation and availability of illicit firearms significantly contribute to instability in the Central America and Caribbean region. These firearms empower individuals involved in serious crimes, organized crime, and gangs, providing them with the means to commit violent acts, intimidate, and exert control over victims and territories.
This region faces particularly high levels of crime and complexity, accompanied by pervasive insecurity and armed violence, exceeding that of other regions. The rampant circulation of illicit firearms exacerbates this issue: while globally, 54% of all violent deaths involve firearms, Central America reports a staggering 77%.[1] This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need for effective measures to combat the proliferation of illicit firearms in the Caribbean.

Beyond their direct impact on violence and crime, illicit firearms are also highly lucrative in the black market, generating millions of dollars annually outside state control. These profits often fund other illegal activities, further destabilizing the region.
Addressing this critical issue requires comprehensive and immediate action to reduce the availability of illicit firearms and mitigate their devastating effects on society.

Funcionarios en taller ofrecido por el Programa Global sobre Armas de UNODC en Trinidad y Tobago

WHAT WE DO

To effectively combat firearm-related crime, comprehensive responses are essential. These include preventing the diversion of firearms to the illicit market and disrupting illicit flows by dismantling trafficking networks. Such actions directly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Target 16.4, which aims to significantly reduce illicit arms flows by 2030.
UNODC in Central America and the Caribbean, through its Global Firearms Programme, assists states in the region in addressing the issue of illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms with a holistic and integrated approach. This support includes the effective implementation of the Firearms Protocol supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
By working together to tackle this pressing issue, we can make substantial progress towards a safer and more secure region, aligning with global efforts to curb the impact of illicit firearms on our communities.

Assistance Measures Include:

Strengthening Legal and Institutional Frameworks and Firearm Policies: Enhancing national laws, institutional structures, and policies to align with international instruments, including the Firearms Protocol.
Supporting the Effective Implementation of Regulatory Frameworks and Control Measures: Assisting in the enforcement of robust regulatory measures for firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition.
Bolstering Criminal Justice Capacities: Strengthening the capabilities of the criminal justice system to detect, investigate, and prosecute the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of firearms and related crimes.
Promoting Regional and International Cooperation: Fostering collaboration and the regular exchange of information and specialized knowledge through professional communities to address firearm-related issues.
Supporting Research and Analysis: Facilitating research and analytical efforts to better understand firearm trafficking and to develop effective responses.
By implementing these comprehensive measures, we aim to create a cohesive and effective strategy to combat the proliferation of illicit firearms, ensuring safer communities and contributing to global security.

It is imperative to look beyond individual seizures and promote broader criminal justice responses that combine preventive and control measures.
These efforts aim to improve legal controls and strengthen the criminal justice chain from the detection and seizure of illicit firearms to their systematic identification, registration, and tracing. This process leads to subsequent investigative and prosecutorial actions aimed at dismantling illicit trafficking flows and bringing perpetrators to justice.
Only through such an integrated approach can the vicious cycle of illicit firearms and related violence be transformed into a response that promotes peace and security.

[1] https://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/gsh/Booklet_3.pdf

COUNTERPARTS

In the Central America and Caribbean region, the UNODC Global Firearms Programme collaborates at the national level with Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Interior or National Security, Justice, and Defense, as well as Attorney Generals' offices, Customs, among others.
Cooperation extends to other regional and international partners such as CARICOM IMPACS, INTERPOL, FRONTEX, ATF, NABIS, Spain's National Police, UNLIREC, UNDP, UNESCO, and other UNODC programs.
Notably, since 2021, the UNODC Global Firearms Programme has supported Caribbean countries in implementing the Roadmap for Priority Actions on the Illicit Proliferation of Firearms and Ammunition across the Caribbean in a sustainable manner by 2030.
The programme's work in the region is made possible by the financial support of several donors, including Germany, Sweden, the European Union, and the United Nations SALIENT Programme.

RESOURCES

Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime

UNODC Global Study of Firearms Trafficking 2020 (Executive Summary in Spanish)

Model Law Against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition

Legislative Guide for the Implementation of the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition

Technical Guide to Implement the Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition

Ratification Kit - Protocol Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components, and Ammunition, Supplementing the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime

Comparative Analysis of Global Instruments on Firearms and Other Conventional Arms: Synergies for Implementation

Model Forms for Firearms-Related Investigations

United Nations

UNODC ROPAN