While the Asia-Pacific region is home to over half the world's population, it accounts for less than a quarter of global lethal violence. Nine out of ten countries in the region have low violence rates, except for Southern Asia which exceeds the global average. Approximately one-third of all conflict deaths worldwide occur in the Asia-Pacific, driven largely by Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Myanmar. Firearm violence and deaths from unplanned munitions explosions are also relatively high in parts of the region.

1. LETHAL VIOLENCE IN THE
ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION
OVER HALF OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION; LESS THAN A QUARTER OF ALL LETHAL VIOLENCE
>30
20–29
10–19
3–9
<3
No Data
RATE OF LETHAL VIOLENCE
per 100,000 population (2007–12)
While only 22% of all male victims worldwide
are from the Asia and Pacific region, the region
accounts for 43% of all female victims
of homicide
• With an average of around 22,300 conflict-related deaths per year, the region accounts for one third of all direct conflict deaths.2
• Direct conflict related deaths in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan generates two thirds of all conflict deaths recorded in the region.
• Many victims still go uncounted. The measurement of lethal violence in 1 out of 3 countries in the region is based on estimates.
1 Lethal violence rates ≤9.9 are considered low or very low.
2 More than 22,300 conflict deaths per year were counted in Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand between 2007 and 2012.
A shelter for victims of dowry violence, New Delhi. Photo: Elizabeth Dalziel/AP Photo
Approximately
one-third of all
direct CONFLICT
DEATHS are from
the Asia and
Pacific region.
Nine out of ten of countries1
in the region
feature low rates of lethal violence.Only
Southern Asia features a level of lethal
violence higher than the global average.
BUT

2. FIREARM-RELATED VIOLENCE IS LOWER IN THIS REGION THAN THAN GLOBAL AVERAGE
Sources: Geneva Declaration Secretariat. Forthcoming. Global Burden of Armed Violence 2014; Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; Small Arms Survey. n.d. Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database.
ONE IN THREE UNPLANNED EXPLOSIONS AT MUNITIONS SITES OCCUR IN THE REGION
3 The analysis excludes countries with less than 5 violent deaths in either 2004 or 2012. This applies to Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Maldives, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu.
4 The Micronesia region comprises Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federal States of Micronesia, Nauru and Palau.
Lethal violence rates in 2004 and 2012 by sub-region3
Between 2004 and 2012, EASTERN ASIA,
MELANESIA, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, and
SOUTH-EASTERN ASIA have experienced
reductions in their rates of lethal violence.
MICRONESIA and SOUTHERN ASIA saw
increases in their rates of lethal violence.
In Southern and South-
eastern Asia more than
one-third of homicides are
committed with a firearm;
compared to fewer than one
tenth in Australia and New
Zealand and Eastern Asia.
Almost one out of three of all recorded unplanned
explosions of munitions sites (UEMS) occurred in the Asia
and Pacific region, resulting in more than one-third of the
total number of casualties. On average, each incident in
this region resulted in 40 casualties: a higher toll than the
global average. High rates of incidence and casualty may
reflect poor stockpile management practices.
% firearm homicide
0.0 5.0 10.0 15.0
Southern Asia
Micronesia4
Melanesia
South Eastern Asia
Eastern Asia
Australia and New Zealand
Rate per 100,00 population
2004 2012
Asia and Pacific
Rest of the world
Unplanned Explosions Fatalities
< A police sign in Maluso, a fishing village in Basilan, Philippines, warns of a ban on firearms enforced prior to the 2007 elections.
Photo: Lucian Read/Small Arms Survey
Australia and New Zealand feature the lowest levels of lethal violence in the region. Their violent death rate is
more than ten times lower than that of Southern Asia.
WHAT HAS CHANGED?
0
10
20
30
40
50
World
SouthEasternAsia
SouthernAsia
AustraliaandNewZealand
Melanesia
Micronesia
EasternAsia
Polynesia
%
27% 33%