Objectives

In the framework of the Geneva Declaration, states and societies have been striving to prevent and reduce armed violence since 2006. In adopting the motto ‘Ending armed violence for peace and development’, the Regional Review Conferences will focus on sharing the wealth of experience that participants have gained in tackling the scourge of armed violence. The Conferences will strive to achieve the following objectives:

• Reaffirm -and strengthen- the engagement of the signatory states to the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development, building on the global policy and advocacy achievements since the 2011 Ministerial Review Conference;

• Assess progress in implementing armed violence reduction and prevention approaches consistent with the principles of the Geneva Declaration in different regional contexts, with a view to strengthening the evidence-base of the linkages between armed violence and development, to share experiences of measuring reductions in armed violence, and to identify and share promising practices to reduce armed violence; and

• Discuss in a meaningful manner the integration of armed violence reduction and prevention into national, regional and international development processes, including the framework that will result from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and which will be decided at the UN General Assembly in 2015.