Introduction to the Global Alliance on Armed Violence (GAAV) Information meeting on the 2014 Regional Review Conferences on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Geneva, 19 February 2014

1. 2014 Regional Review Conferences on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development
Wednesday 19 February 2014, 13:00-14:30
Room XXIII, E Building, Palais des Nations2014 Regional Review Conferences on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development
Wednesday 19 February, Palais des Nations, Room XXIII

2. • At the 2011 Geneva Declaration 2nd
Ministerial Review Conference, with 80
civil society groups present, the process to
establish a global alliance on armed violence
began.
• An Interim Committee was selected and
met in April 2012 to establish the structure
and function of the Alliance.
Background

3. UN Photo/Tobin Jones
GAAV Interim Committee
The Interim Committee (IC) represents a
broad range of regions, areas of work, and
experience in armed violence, including the
following organizations:
• Action on Armed Violence (UK)
• Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc.
(Philippines)
• Danish Demining Group (Denmark)
• Handicap International
• IKV Pax Christi (Netherlands)
• Instituto Sou da Paz (Brazil)
• Quaker United Nations Office
• National Working Group on Armed
Violence (Nigeria)

4. UN Photo/Stuart Price
About GAAV
vision
A world where people and communities are
safe from armed violence.
mission
To provide a global platform that helps to
improve the quality, impact and visibility of
local, national, regional and international
initiatives to prevent and reduce armed
violence.
objectives
• To create a ‘whole of society approach’ to
armed violence reduction and prevention
(AVRP).
• To improve the quality and scale of
resources given to local and national
initiatives on AVRP.
• To disseminate effective practices and
strengthen networking and advocacy on
AVRP.

5. Our Members
• GAAV brings together over 100 actors
worldwide working to prevent and reduce
armed violence, from community to global
policy levels.
• GAAV Members are mostly CSOs and
NGOs, and include community-based
organisations, faith-based groups, regional
and national networks, academic
institutions and government bodies.
• GAAV members represent a broad
spectrum of AVRP initiatives – from
weapons control and management,
survivors’ rights and rehabilitation, work
with gangs and criminal groups, to conflict
prevention and peace building.

6. I) Working Groups – Policy & Programme
Solutions
Thematic and geographic Working Groups are the
main bodies of the alliance, allowing GAAV
Members to interact on common issues, forge
solutions, and build a solid base of best practice.
II) Advocacy and Communications
GAAV’s advocacy and communications aim to
provide a united voice for AVRP practitioners and a
platform to disseminate best practice.
III) Capacity Building & Knowledge
Exchange
GAAV plans to offer a member-driven knowledge
exchange platform to strengthen national and
local capacities of practitioners. This initiative will
support development of members’ technical and
practical skills, as well as fostering exchange of
relevant policy and programming experience, and
provide opportunities for south-south cooperation.
GAAV Pillars of Work

7. Civil society participation
In partnership with the Geneva Declaration
Secretariat, GAAV is conducting outreach and
coordinating a selection process for civil society
participation at the RRCs.
Civil society activities at GD RRCs
• GAAV will be hosting civil society events on
the side-lines of the GD RRCs.
• For the Americas RRC, and via its working
group on Understanding the Problem, GAAV
plans to conduct training to familiarise
participants with tools to measure and
monitor armed violence, including a
comprehensive template for national
reporting on armed violence (GAAV is
seeking co-funding for this activity).
• Preparatory events will also provide space
for dialogue on the post-2015 development
framework and an overview of conference
agendas.
GAAV & the GD Regional Review
Conferences 2014

8. Engagement in post-2015 development
agenda & issues relevant to Geneva
Declaration
• Through its working group on Armed
Violence & Development, GAAV is engaging
practitioners in a dialogue to develop ideas
on ways to integrate armed violence
reduction targets and indicators in goals of
the post-2015 development agenda.
• GAAV will continue to engage CSOs and
other actors in areas relevant to the Geneva
Declaration, via our working groups and
other activities.
Continued..

9. UN Photo/Tobin Jones
GD RRCs are important forums to:
• Take stock of progress and strengthen
political will of governments and
international organisations to invest in
and advance armed violence reduction
agendas.
• Build partnerships and improve
coordination for multi-stakeholder
responses to regional and cross-border
armed violence trends and challenges.
• Explore ways to create enabling policy
environments nationally and strengthen
international frameworks, including the
post-2015 development agenda, to
reduce and prevent armed violence.
Why are the GD RRCs important
to civil society?

10. For more information
visit
Global Alliance on Armed Violence
www.allianceonarmedviolence.org
Geneva Declaration
www.genevadeclaration.org/2014rrc/
contact
Nicola Williams
Coordinator
Global Alliance on Armed Violence
s: nikki.s.williams22
e: nicola.williams@allianceonarmedviolence.org