So far, there are only few reliable, comprehensive or relevant indicators used to measure the global burden of armed violence and its implications for human development, much less the attainment of the MDGs. In his report, the UN Secretary-General recognizes this gap and encourages member states to develop measurable goals, targets and indicators for armed-violence prevention and reduction.

The Geneva Declaration Secretariat supports the establishment of reliable, comprehensive and relevant indicators to measure the global burden of armed violence and its impact on human development. Building on previous research, the Geneva Declaration Secretariat and its partners developed a set of preliminary indicators that allows for some tentative estimation of the scope, scale, intensity and cost of armed violence worldwide that was published in the Global Burden of Armed Violence report (2008).