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Obstructing Development: The Effects of Small Arms on Human Development

Author: Small Arms Survey
Date: 2003
Size: 43 pages (573 KB)

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Summary

What effect does small arms violence have on development? How have development agencies and governments sought to tackle small arms use? This chapter from a work published by the Small Arms Survey analyses the social, economic and human cost of small arms use around the world. It argues that such violence causes widespread damage to developing societies, and outlines developmental responses aimed at cutting demand for small arms, regulating their use and destroying surplus stocks.

Internal armed conflict and social violence, which includes criminal and domestic conflict, is concentrated in developing countries, and incidences are rising. Recent conflict, a history of state-led violence, high unemployment levels and growing inequality may contribute to armed criminality.

The direct consequences of small arms use include the human and financial costs of firearms casualties, while the indirect effects encompass the social, economic and developmental harm caused by armed violence or its threat. It can be difficult to monitor firearms use because crimes go unreported or figures are suppressed by governments.

Various findings are made on the effects of small arms use:

• Social services and social cohesion can be affected by the threat and use of firearms. School enrolment rates and educational performance may drop and clinics may shut and face disruption to supplies. The prevalence of gangs and child soldiers may cause breakdown in families and communities.
• Economic activity can be hit by higher transport costs, deteriorating infrastructure and disruption to trade and production. Foreign investment, savings and tax collection are also impaired by violent insecurity.
• Development programmes are distorted by the threat of violence. Rising logistical costs and security threats can hamper access for agencies and even force their withdrawal from deprived areas.
• The rule of law can be undermined by the growing use of private security in violent societies. Private security firms can increase the flow of small arms back into society and exacerbate criminality, while higher security expenditure diverts resources from more productive activities.

Tackling firearms misuse entails a partnership between governments, NGOs and international actors. It involves a tripartite approach directed at addressing the demand for firearms, increasing legal controls and destroying surplus weapons:

• Demand can be restricted by demobilisation initiatives, public awareness campaigns and ‘weapons for development’ programmes undertaken by governments and international agencies. Some NGOs have focused on wider factors feeding the demand for small arms, such as unemployment and insecurity.
  

  Domestic oversight of small arms use and availability has been promoted through international initiatives assisting governments to monitor firearms imports. Development agencies and governments have invested in strengthening police and judicial systems and reforming the security sector to promote accountability.

• Multilateral organisations have instituted weapons collection guidelines and established disarmament programmes in partnership with national governments. The success of these initiatives should be measured according to their contribution to development, rather than the raw numbers of weapons destroyed.
• Donors should undertake better surveys to monitor the effect of small arms use in order to develop improved interventions aimed at reducing violence as part of a broader developmental strategy.

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Source: Small Arms Survey, 2003, ‘Obstructing Development: The Effects of Small Arms on Human Development’, Chapter Four in ‘Small Arms Survey Yearbook 2003: Development Denied’, Oxford University Press, Oxford
Author: Small Arms Survey, http://www.smallarmssurvey.org