"The Gun-Free Zone (GFZ) – A tool to prevent and reduce armed violence" Regional Review Conference on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Nairobi, Kenya | 26-27 November 2014

1. The Gun-Free Zone (GFZ) – A tool to
prevent and reduce armed violence

2. Gun-free zones – Definition
Geographically limited spaces where the carrying or
possession of guns by civilians is prohibited in order
to reduce armed violence and promote public safety
A specific ad hoc tool to prevent and reduce armed
violence in communities
It should always be established in conjunction with
other gun control and violence prevention
measures, in particular effective policing

3. Gun-free zones – Characteristics
• Initiator
• Top down
• Bottom up
• Restricted areas
• Public
• Private
• Time span
• Temporary
• Unlimited
•
• Restriction
• Possession
• Carrying
• Enforcement
• Mandatory
• Voluntary

4. Case studies – Sierra Leone
 Arms for development project began in 2002
after three DDR programmes (1998 – 2002).
The project, a joint initiative of UNDP and the
Government targeted four chiefdoms that were
encouraged to surrenders their weapons.
 When no weapons were found after random
searches, the chiefdom was declared weapons
free and awarded approx. 14,000 USD for the
implementation of a community development
project

5. Case studies – South Africa
 Gun free zones as a grass-roots movement
spearheaded by NGO’s (Gun Free South Africa)
and spread throughout the country with an
increasing number of locations voluntarily
declaring themselves gun free.
 Eventually lead to new gun-control legislation
approved in 2000 establishing Firearms Free
Zones.

6. Case studies – Senegal
 In 2011 Ministry of Interior issues a decree
banning the carrying of weapons and
ammunition during the electoral period (4
months).
 During the period, no weapon, regardless of its
category or nature could be transported out
side homes or workplaces (including for people
with permits to hold arms).

7. Gun-free zones – Intended effects

8. Gun-free zones – Defining characteristics
• A participatory process
• Creating an organizational structure
• Developing a GFZ plan – An official written policy /
Resources
• Declaring gun-free zones (communication)
• Maintaining and enforcing GFZ
• Compliments other initiatives
• Not a panacea or silver-bullet solution

9. Thank you
More information:
-
www.un.org/disarmament/publications/occasionalpap
ers/25/
- www.un.org/disarmament/publications/more/gfz-guidelines/
- www.unrec.org