Civil Society Meeting

on Reducing Armed Violence to Promote Peace & Development

Thursday 10 July, 8:00am - 12:15pm | Geneva, CICG

Hosted by the Geneva Declaration Secretariat, the Global Alliance on Armed Violence, and Small Arms Survey

Overview

The Geneva Declaration Secretariat, in partnership with the Global Alliance on Armed Violence (GAAV) and Small Arms Survey (SAS), hosted a half-day workshop for civil society stakeholders on 10 July. This forum provided an opportunity to review efforts to reduce and prevent armed violence reduction regionally and globally. It considered relevant intergovernmental processes and normative developments. Civil society groups were invited to discuss and define priorities that promote peace and development through AVRP. The event was open to civil society organisations (CSOs) attending the Regional Review Conference (RRC) on the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development that was held on 8 and 9 July, as well as to other relevant CSOs present in Geneva.

Date and time

Thursday 10 July 2014 | 8:00am - 12:15pm*

*Please note this early time slot was chosen to allow participants departing Geneva in the afternoon of 10 July to attend. Your punctual arrival is most appreciated.

Location

Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG) | Room 3
17 rue de Varembé, Genève
T +41 22 791 91 11
http://www.cicg.ch

Access map

Participant profile

Attendees of the Geneva Declaration Regional Review Conference include CSOs representing countries of Europe, the Caucuses and Central Asia, with technical expertise across the following areas: conflict prevention, resolution and peace building; armed violence reduction; arms control and disarmament; gender; human rights and rule of law; survivors’ rights and rehabilitation; development and poverty alleviation; and humanitarian and emergency response. Additional Geneva-based civil society groups with relevant expertise will be invited to join the workshop.

Provisional agenda

10 July
7:45–8:00	Registration
8:00-8:30	Welcome & Introductions
8:30-9:45	Taking stock of the armed violence reduction and prevention (AVRP) agenda and relevant processes This session provided an overview of recent intergovernmental processes relevant to the AVRP agenda including: the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence & Development Review Conferences; the post-2015 Development Framework negotiations; the UN Programme of Action on small arms and light weapons; the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines; and the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) process. It considered questions such as: How has armed violence been integrated in such processes? What have been the normative developments? What has been the impact on reducing levels of violence, crime and conflict in affected communities? Have practices to promote security, peace and development shifted? The session engaged participants in discussion on what’s next to reduce and prevent armed violence in the region and worldwide.
9:45-10:15	Coffee break
10:15 – 11:00	Priorities and the way forward to reduce armed violence regionally and worldwide Group work Participants were clustered in thematic and issue-focused working groups to discuss priorities and recommendations to strengthen the armed violence reduction and prevention agenda in national, regional and multi-lateral processes.
11:00 – 11:30	Group presentations & discussions One representative from each group presented for 3 minutes on outcomes.
11:30 – 12:00	Next steps and closing

Contact

For more information contact:

Nicola Williams
Coordinator, Global Alliance on Armed Violence
e: nicola.williams@allianceonarmedviolence.org