WORKING PAPER

Preventing Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean

2

This publication was prepared by the Office for Disarmament Affairs’ Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in Lima, Peru, with

the purpose of expanding the knowledge and awareness of contemporary legal, policy and programme responses to reduce and prevent armed violence in schools and to increase dialogue

among educators, student leaders, governments, policy-makers, police, UN agencies and civil society organizations, as well as other stakeholders on issues of human security and children,

adolescent and youth development.

This publication is also available at www.unlirec.org

UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATION

Copyright © United Nations, 2011 All rights reserved

Printed in United Nations, Lima

3

Acknowledgements

This working paper was developed over time by a team of individuals from UNLIREC´s Public Security Programme. The majority of work was undertaken by Mark Tyndall and Talitha Dowds with editorial support provided by William Godnick, Amanda Cowl, Bárbara Ortiz and Melanie Regimbal. UNLIREC wishes to thank the governments of Spain and Sweden for the financial support provided to the Centre and its initiatives.

4

ACRONYMS

CASA - Coordinating Action on Small Arms Mechanism

DD&R (IDDRS) - Integrated Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Standards

ESEA - Elementary and Secondary Education Act

FARC - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia

FECODE - Colombian Federation for Educators

FLACSO - Latin American School of Social Sciences

IANSA - International Action Network on Small Arms

IDB - Inter-American Development Bank

IMAS - International Mine Action Standards

ISACS - International Small Arms Control Standards

JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

MEP -Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education

OECD - Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development

OHCHR - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

SALW - Small Arms and Light Weapons

SAS - Small Arms Survey

UNDOC - United Nations Documentation Center

UNDP - United Nations Development Programme

UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

UN-HABITAT - United Nations Human Settlements Programme

UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund

UNLIREC - United Nations Regional Center for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean

UNODA - United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs

UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

UN PoA - United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

US- United States of America WHO - World Health Organization

5

CONTENTS

Part I: The problem: firearms and armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean schools . 6

Part II: Policy approaches to armed violence reduction in schools .......................................... 11

Part III: Established responses to armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean schools 15

Good Practice Example 1: Provincial Government of Mendoza, Argentina ......................... 16

Good Practice Experience 2: Government of Costa Rica ...................................................... 16

Part IV: Opportunities for action .............................................................................................. 18

Action Point 1: Establish or adapt existing national systems for the registration of incidences of armed violence in schools. Identify armed violence ‘hot-spots’ that might exist in and around local school environments..................................................................... 18

Action Point 2: Build capacity to assess ‘determinants’ or causes of armed violence hot-spots in and around local school environments. .................................................................. 21

Action Point 3: Elaborate plans for local “Gun Free Schools” frameworks. Harmonize local and national laws to prohibit the entry, possession and/or use of firearms in school environments. ....................................................................................................................... 21

Part VI: Next Steps .................................................................................................................... 23

Annex I – Media-monitoring: incidences of armed violence in schools (2000 to 2010) .......... 24

Annex II – Text of survey distributed to Member States ......................................................... 32

Annex III – Detailed procedures from Mendoza and Costa Rica Programmes ........................ 35

Annex IV – Selected data from responses to UNLIREC ‘s “First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean” ................................................................................................................... 38

6

Part I: The problem: firearms and armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean schools

Latin America and the Caribbean is considered to be one of the most violent regions in the world accounting for nearly 42% of annual global homicides1 The impact of armed violence on youth is particularly dramatic. In the Caribbean, for example, violence is the leading cause of death among youth and adolescents aged 15-24. There are over 100 million adolescents between 10 and 18 years of age in the region; hardship affects these youth disproportionately with an average of 39% living in poverty.2

UNICEF has identified two forms of violence in Latin America and the Caribbean that warrant increased attention: gang-related violence linked to the drug trade; and violence in schools.3 The phenomenon of violence in schools has also gained increased attention in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. In Brazil, 84% of students in 143 schools in the capitals of six states consider their school to be violent and 70% admits to having been victims of violence at school.4

The threat and actual use of firearms in schools have received less specific attention, but now constitutes a substantial and growing challenge to the physical and psychological security of children and educators in Latin America and the Caribbean. Approximately 1.3% of students in Argentina has taken a revolver or pistol to school, according to the Ministry of Education of that country.5 In 2007, 69 firearms were confiscated by educational authorities in Colombian schools. In Brazil, a UNESCO survey conducted in 2000 reported that 13% of school students had witnessed the presence of firearms on campus.6 Furthermore, 14% claimed to have easy access to a firearm in their school and its surroundings, and 4% claimed to have brought one to school. In El Salvador, 42 weapons, including guns and grenades, were seized from schools and their immediate surroundings in 2005.7 In Mexico, 55% of students in Mexico City believes some of their fellow students bring firearms to school. 8 46

incidents of gun violence in schools and communities were reported in Puerto Rico during 2007.9 A 2003 representative sample survey of school children in nine Caribbean countries found that one fifth of the males carried weapons to school during the previous 30-day period.10

UNLIREC staff - undertaking a brief review of online newspaper archives - identified at least 51 reported instances of firearm possession and the death or wounding of 43 individuals from accidental or intentional shootings in Latin America and Caribbean educational centres between 2000 and 2010.11 Whilst these are only a few examples collected on an ad hoc basis, their sum is suggestive as

1 UNICEF (2007) “The Impact of Small Arms on Children and Adolescents in Central America and Caribbean: A Case Study of El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.” [Online] Available at: http://www.unicef.org/lac/Fact_Sheet_Small_Arms_report.pdf 2 UNICEF Fast facts on Adolescents and Youth in Latin America and the Caribbean, [Online] Available at: http://www.unicef.org/media/files/Fast_facts__EN.doc 3 Ibid. 4 Abramovay, M., and Das Graças Rua, M. (2002). “Violence in Schools.” UNESCO, Brasilia. [Online] Available at: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001287/128718e.pdf 5 Argentinean Ministry of Education. “La Violencia en las Escuelas.” [Online] Available at: http://www.me.gob.ar/observatorio/publicaciones.html 6 Violência na Escola: América Latina e Caribe (Brasilia: UNESCO, 2003) 7 La Prensa Gráfica. Police found 184 arms near schools. [Online] Available at: http://archive.laprensa.com.sv/20060221/nacion/425506.asp 8 SDP Noticias. 25% of students say that there are arms in their schools. [Online] Available at: http://sdpnoticias.com/sdp/contenido/2009/04/07/371041 9 Centenal. Campana Armate of courage, speaking finalist and Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. [Online] Available at: http://www.centennialpr.com/sobre_responsabilidad.asp 10 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Latin American and Caribbean Region of the World Bank (2007) “Crime, Violence and Development: Trends, Costs and Policy Options in the Caribbean.” p.70 11 See Annex I for a summary of incidents.

7

to the unmeasured scale and severity of armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean schools. The true extent and nature of the problem is difficult to gauge as centralized reporting systems and data sets for these incidents do not exist.12 Anecdotal evidence suggests that the extent of unreported or undiscovered armed violence in schools may be significant.

From May to July 2007, for example, eight municipal schools and day-care centres in and near the Complexo do Alemao in Rio de Janeiro were reportedly occupied by armed police without prior notice. These facilities were used as a base for a military-style assault on armed drug gangs, attracting small arms fire to their positions within the school while students were attending classes. The operation involved 1,300 military and civilian police officers. The school buildings suffered extensive damage from intense exchanges of gunfire. At one point a grenade exploded on the school patio. Armed gangs involved in the drug trade are also reported in some instances to be using schools as shelter in Brazil. In one such episode, the Brazilian National Rapporteur on the Right to Education visited a school of over 1,000 students in Rio de Janeiro to find adolescents with machine guns sitting on the steps at the school’s entry gate. It was reported that the roof had bullet holes from recent conflicts between criminal gangs.13

In Colombia, cases of assassinations of teachers, teacher trade unionists, students and academics remain a matter of grave concern. Based on reports from the teachers’ union (FECODE), 360 teachers have been murdered, 342 threatened, 50 exiled and 25 “disappeared” over the course of the past decade. According to the same source, nine teachers were murdered and two survived assassination attempts between January and June 2009 alone.14 Many teachers have reportedly abandoned schools because of fear of armed violence.15

The levels of armed violence and crime in Latin America and the Caribbean undermine the investment in human capital undertaken by national education systems.16 In the specific context of armed violence in schools, the effects of weapons availability and armed violence on children and adolescents are not only manifested in the number of homicides and injuries. The social impacts can include psychological trauma, poorer quality of life and reduced access to education. Violence in the classroom may have specific cognitive and behavioural effects on children, making them less satisfied with school. This, in turn, may lead to lower performance and increased truancy.17 Research in the United States shows that in schools with moderate or serious levels of violence, high school graduation rates fell by 5.1 and 5.7 percentage points respectively.18 Furthermore, students who feel unsafe in school and stay home run a higher risk of falling behind and dropping out of school. It is also suggested more broadly that if acts of violence are not appropriately condemned and effectively

12 As indicated by ten Member States in their responses to the UNLIREC First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean 13 Denise Sarreira and Suelaine Carneiro, Violation to the Education Rights of the Community in the Complexo do Alemao, Rio de Janeiro (Sao Paolo: Office of the National Rapporteur on the Human Right to Education, 2008). 14 La Federación Colombiana de Educadores (FECODE), “La Violación de Derechos Humanos No Ha Disminuido Con la Política de Seguridad Democrática,” June 27, 2009. 15 United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2010) Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Colombia, 4 March 2010, [Online] Available at: http://daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G10/118/19/PDF/G1011819.pdf?OpenElement 16 Londoño, J.L. and Guerrero, R. (1999) “Violencia en América Latina. Epidemiología y costos”, Chief Economist Office Network, Inter-American Development Bank, Washington DC. 17 Bowen, N. K., and Bowen, G. L. (1999). Effects of crime and violence in neighborhoods and schools on the school performance of adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 14, 319–342. 18 Grogger, J. (1997) Local Violence and Educational Attainment. Journal of Human Resources 32(4): 659–682.

8

discouraged they become recognised as viable means of resolving social conflict. These outcomes obviously affect not only the direct victims of armed violence, but whole communities as well.19

The 2007 UNICEF study ‘The impact of small arms on children and adolescents in Central America and the Caribbean’ explains that firearms are readily available to children in these sub-regions, and that in some cases there is a cultural acceptance of and justification for the possession of firearms by children, especially amongst boys. Many children carry firearms in order to gain social status, seek attention, respect and protection. Testimonies also indicate regular practices of economic extortion against children by youth gangs.20

Behavioural scientists identify a number of risk factors associating youth with the perpetration of armed violence. These include previous exposure to firearm violence,21 experience of abuse22 and gang membership.23 Evidence suggests that, in general terms, firearms homicides are more concentrated in communities that have greater availability of firearms,24 higher rates of gun ownership,25 greater alcohol outlet density26 and lower levels of education.27 At a societal level, and less specific to school environments, risk factors that can contribute to armed violence include the rapid urbanization of cities and towns, emergence from armed conflict and general mistrust within society.28 Additional risk factors comprise social, political and economic inequalities, unemployment, resource scarcity and competition, a disproportionately large youth population and marked power disparities in gender relations.29

Media monitoring and other anecdotal evidence suggests that many incidences of accidental or intentional firearm injury in educational environments is made possible by the inadequate storage of weapons in homes. One firearms safety program in the United States addressed this challenge by offering parents a counseling session on the risks of unsecured firearms in the household or in the

19 Luz, D.L. (2007) “The impact of Small Arms on Children and Adolescents in Central America and the Caribbean: A Case Study of El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago”, UNICEF Panama 20 Ibid. 21 For armed violence specifically see Bingenheimer JB, Brennan RT, Earls FJ. Firearm violence exposure and serious violent behavior. Science, 2005, 308:1323-1326; On violence more generally see See Gottfredson, D. C. (2001) Schools and Delinquency. New York: Cambridge University Press; Olweus, D. (1979). Stability of aggressive reaction patterns in males: A review. Psychological Bulletin, 86, 852–875; Rutter, M. (1979). Protective factors in children’s responses to stress and disadvantage. In: Primary Prevention of Psychopathology, Vol. 3: Social Competence in Children, ed. by M.W. Kent and J. E. Rolf, Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 49–74; Taub, J. (2002). Evaluation of the Second Step Violence Prevention Program at a rural elementary school. School Psychology Review, 31(2), 186–200; West, D., and Farrington, D. (1973). Who becomes delinquent? London: Heinemann Educational. 22 Casiano H et al. Childhood maltreatment and threats with weapons. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 2009, 197:856-861. 23 Mercy JA et al. Youth violence. In: Krug EG, Dahlberg L, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R eds. World report on violence and health. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002; Small Arms Survey. Small Arms Survey 2008: risk and resilience. Cambridge, Cambridge University; Press, 2008. Kennedy BP et al. Social capital, income inequality, and firearm violent crime. Social Science and Medicine, 1998, 47:7-17; see also Kingery PM, Coggeshall MB, Alford AA. Weapon carrying by youth: risk factors and prevention. Education and Urban Society, 1999, 31:309-333; Vaughn MG, Howard MO, Harper-Chang L. Do prior trauma and victimization predict weapon carrying among delinquent youth? Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 2006, 4:314-327. 24 Shenassa ED, Daskalakis C, Buka SL. Utility of indices of gun availability in the community. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 2006, 60:44-49; Wiebe DJ et al. Homicide and geographic access to gun dealers in the United States. BMC Public Health, 2009, 9:199. 25 Miller M, Hemenway D, Azrael D. State-level homicide victimization rates in the US in relation to survey measures of household firearm ownership, 2001-2003. Social Science and Medicine, 2007, 64:656-664; Murnan J, Dake JA, Price JH. Association of selected risk factors with variation in child and adolescent firearm mortality by state. Journal of School Health, 2004, 74:335-340. 26 Laranjeira R, Hinkly D. Evaluation of alcohol outlet density and its relation with violence. Revista de Saude Publica, 2002, 36:455-461. 27 Price JH, Mrdjenovich AJ, Dake JA. Prevalence of state firearm mortality and mental health care resources Journal of Community Health, 2009, 34:383-391. 28 Global burden of armed violence. Geneva, Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2008; Kennedy BP et al. Social capital, income inequality, and firearm violent crime. Social Science and Medicine, 1998, 47:7-17. 29 Global burden of armed violence. Geneva, Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2008.

9

homes of friends and neighbours. The sessions were provided to parents when they attended their regularly scheduled appointments with their physicians. Printed materials were offered during these consultations which detailed strategies for reducing the risks associated with firearms, their storage and child access. Evaluations of the project found that those having received counseling from their physician were three times more likely to make changes to they way they stored firearms in the home. This included ensuring that firearms were routinely unloaded and stored away from children.30

From a public security and crime prevention perspectives, the distinction between firearm possession and firearm use in school environments is important. Whilst many children and adolescents in the region do not exhibit risk factors associated with gang membership or family abuse, evidence suggests that many young people carry a weapon, because they feel unsafe or fear violence.31 This individual decision-making process can, in turn, inadvertently reinforce others’ perceived need for self-protection. Compounding these perceptions of insecurity is the fact that many young people who carry weapons do so in response to past victimization.32

Whilst much of the research into youth perpetration of violence in Latin America and the Caribbean has focused on gang violence, there is a lack of specific and ‘actionable’ data on the impact of firearms on children and youth in their school environments and educational outcomes more broadly.33 This First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean, along with this Concept Note, were developed with this shortage of data in mind.

UNLIREC is mandated pursuant to article 41, Section II of the 2001 United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects “to promote dialogue and a culture of peace by encouraging, as appropriate, education and public awareness programmes on the problems of the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects, involving all sectors of society.”

As one of several UN agencies responsible for encouraging Member States to make their views known on the interrelation between armed violence and development, UNLIREC seeks to promote a comprehensive approach to armed violence reduction issues, recognizing the different situations, needs and resources of men and women, boys and girls, as reflected in the provisions of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1612. In support of these ends, the current working paper aims to:

- Raise awareness of the specific problem of firearms proliferation and misuse and their real and potential impacts in educational centres;

- Develop an overview of the policies implemented by Latin American and Caribbean Member States to prevent the presence of firearms in schools;

30 Albright TL, Burge SK. (2003) “Improving firearm storage habits: impact of brief office counselling by family physicians.” Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 16:40-46 31 Walker A et al. Crime in England and Wales in 2008/09. London, Home Office, 2009. 32 Thurnherr J et al. Youths carrying a weapon or using a weapon in a fight: what makes a difference? Health Education Research, 2009, 24:270-279. 33 Wiseman, M. (2006) Consultancy Report: Small Arms, Children and Education, written for the South Eastern and Eastern Europe Clearinghouse for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons. One exception in the Central American sub-region is the study: Savenije, Wim and M.A. Beltrán (Compitiendo en Bravuras: Violencia Estudiantil en el Area Metropolitana de El Salvador, 2009, San Salvador: Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales. However, the FLACSO study does not devote significant time or space to the instruments of violence.

10

- Explore potential policy options to enhance current efforts in combating the presence of firearms and their misuse in schools; and

- Increase dialogue among governments, educators, student leaders and other stakeholders on issues of human security and children, adolescent and youth development.

The research for this paper has been undertaken by UNLIREC’s Public Security Programme within the context of its ongoing support for the implementation of the UN PoA and the promotion of the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development among Latin American and Caribbean Member States.

The working paper consists of the following sections:

1. Part II outlines a few broad armed violence reduction strategies with potential relevance to school environments. Some examples are presented briefly as a starting point for governments, policy makers, police and educators in aligning local circumstances and needs to potential policy responses.

2. Part III outlines a selection of specific policy responses to armed violence implemented in Latin American and Caribbean schools. It also provides a brief summary of the responses to UNLIREC’s First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean.

3. Part IV suggests a course of action for addressing firearms proliferation and armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean educational centres.

11

Part II: Policy approaches to armed violence reduction in schools

This section outllines a few broad armed violence reduction strategies with potential relevance to school environments in Latin America and the Caribbean. Some examples of implemented projects are presented briefly as a starting point for governments, policy makers, police and educators in aligning local circumstances and needs to potential policy responses.

Direct Prevention Policies are those that act to prevent the proliferation of firearms, as well as deter and prevent their use. Whilst legislation, regulation and policing strategies tend not to address the root causes of conflict and violence in schools, the effective removal of firearms from these environments ensures that violent acts prove far less deadly. In this vein, the implementation of targeted legislation, regulation or other legal instruments can reduce access to firearms by controlling their sale, purchase, use or transfer. Evidence suggests that lower levels of firearm violence is experienced in countries or states that have implemented stricter firearms controls.34 Specific controls have been enacted in some countries to target firearm possession and armed violence in educational centres, including restrictions or bans for carrying firearms in schools, and the establishment of a minimum age for the purchase of firearms. The following case studies provide useful examples.

In 2003, Brazil reformed its firearms legislation and raised the minimum age for firearms purchases to 25. The new legislation penalized ownership of unregistered firearms, and prevented individuals from carrying them outside the home or place of work in the case of security officials. It introduced mandatory background checks for purchasers of firearms, and increased the penalties for many firearms-related offences. One study suggested that these reforms, though combined with other initiatives, contributed to a decrease in firearms-related deaths by 8.8 percent between 2003 and 2005.35 Though this initiative alone cannot be credited with this success, it did constitute one valuable strategy in a range of policy responses to armed violence in urban environments.36

Studies in the United States have evaluated the effects of state firearms legislation including child access prevention regulations and bans on certain types of firearms.37 These reported some reductions in the availability of firearms and incidences of lethal armed violence among the target groups, but further reviews of the same legislation have been unable to clearly attribute the effects to the legislation.38

Implementing bans on the possession of firearms in particular locations or zones is becoming increasingly recognized as a useful tool in armed violence prevention circles. City and provincial regulations have been implemented in several localities in Latin America, including in the “Gun-Free 34 Miller M, Hemenway D, Azrael D. (2007) “State-level homicide victimization rates in the US in relation to survey measures of household firearm ownership, 2001-2003.” Social Science and Medicine, 64:656-664. 35 Small Arms Survey (2009) “Small Arms Survey 2009: shadows of war.” Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 36 Ibid. 37 See Webster DW, Vernick JS, Hepburn LM. Effects of Maryland’s law banning “Saturday night special” handguns on homicides. American Journal of Epidemiology, 2002, 155:406-412; Webster DW et al. Association between youth-focused firearm laws and youth suicides JAMA, 2004, 292:594-601; Cummings P et al. State gun safe storage laws and child mortality due to firearms. JAMA, 1997, 278:1084-1086; Hepburn L et al. The effect of child access prevention laws on unintentional child firearm fatalities, 1979-2000. The Journal of Trauma, 2006, 61:423-428; Webster DW, Starnes M. Reexamining the association between child access prevention gun laws and unintentional shooting deaths of children. Pediatrics, 2000, 106:1466-1469. 38 Hahn RA et al. (2005) “Firearms laws and the reduction of violence: a systematic review.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 28:40-71.

12

Municipalities” project in El Salvador. This project involved banning the carrying of firearms in schools, parks, plazas and other places of recreation. Importantly, these bans were reinforced by building law enforcement capacity to enforce the bans and developing complementary programmes in the areas of education and urban renewal. The project reported reductions in homicides of up to 47% in participating municipalities, though these drastic reductions were not sustained over the entire project period.39

Other local firearms bans have been implemented in Latin America, though by different means. In Colombia, an intermittent citywide ban on the carrying of firearms in two cities was associated with a reduction in homicide rates for both cities.40 The intervention involved banning the carrying of firearms in public places on payday weekends, on holidays and election days. The strategy also included enforcement at police checkpoints and random searching of individuals at traffic stops.

A “Gun Free Zone” strategy in South Africa has further demonstrated the effectiveness of frameworks for banning firearms in schools and other public spaces. South African firearms control legislation makes provisions for the declaration of two types of spaces where firearms are prohibited: ‘Gun Free Zones’ and ‘Firearm Free Zones.’ The former are voluntarily designated public spaces in which firearms are declared unwelcome. Prominent signage and other strategies are employed to communicate the wishes of the owner, custodian or management for the premises to remain gun free. These declared spaces included hospitals, churches, community centres, as well as schools. In these ‘Gun Free Zones’, police do not have any additional duties or search and seizure powers, however it is a civil offence to contravene the ‘Gun Free Zone’ status of a premise – anyone found contravening a Zone can be prosecuted under laws that prohibit trespassing.

‘Firearm Free Zones’, on the other hand, are those premises or categories of premises that the South African Minister for Safety and Security has declared free of firearms. The Firearms Control Act dictates that no person may allow, store or carry any firearm or ammunition into such premises, unless a specific exemption is granted. If the ‘Firearm Free Zone’ status of premises is appropriately communicated to visitors, it is a criminal offence not to comply with the corresponding law and charges may be laid. The police are not obligated to search for or seize weapons contravening this law, but even without a warrant; they are still empowered to search any building or premises located in a ‘Firearm Free Zone’ if the presence of a firearm or ammunition is reasonably suspected. In this respect, police may search any person in a ‘Firearm Free Zone’ and seize any firearm or ammunition found on the premises. The Firearms Control Act lists the maximum period of imprisonment for these charges as five years for allowing a firearm or ammunition into a ‘Firearm Free Zone’, ten years for carrying a firearm or ammunition into a ‘Firearm Free Zone’ and 25 years for storing a firearm or ammunition in a ‘Firearm Free Zone.’41

Several hundred ‘Gun Free’ and ‘Firearm Free’ Zones have been created throughout South Africa. These have included government agencies, places of worship, sometimes even entire towns or communities. Some large mining companies including Anglo-American and BP also declared their premises as ‘Gun Free Zones’. The legislation is designed to serve not only as a practical crime 39 Cano, I. (2007) “Living without arms? Evaluation of the Arms-Free Muncipalities Project: An experience in risk-taking in a risky context.” San Salvador, United Nations Development Programme. 40 Villaveces A et al. (2000) “Effect of a ban on carrying firearms on homicide rates in 2 Colombian cities.” JAMA, 283:1205-1209. 41 “The difference between a gun free and a firearm free zone.” Johannesburg, Gun Free South Africa, [Online] Available at: (http://www.gca.org.za/Resources/InformationonGunFreeZones/tabid/1759/language/en-US/Default.aspx, accessed 01 August 2010).

13

prevention measure, but also as a social stigmatization of firearm possession in certain places. An evaluation of the program has established that the zones foster increased feelings of safety and security and reduced the number of people carrying firearms.42 Lower rates of armed crime involving firearms were recorded in areas implementing the strategy.43

Local subnational state laws enacted in the US provide another model for school-specific firearm-free spaces, but rely more heavily on deterrence and more efficient referrals to the criminal justice system. The US Gun Free Schools Act of 1990 requires that each state receiving federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) must have put in effect, by October 1995, a state law requiring local educational agencies to expel any student who is determined to have brought a firearm to school. The expulsion is for a period of no less than one year. State law is mandated to allow the chief administering officer of the local educational agency to waive this mandatory expulsion requirement on a case-by-case basis. Similarly, all local educational agencies receiving ESEA funds must have a policy that requires the referral of any student who brings a firearm to school to the criminal justice or juvenile justice system.44

To complement these laws, the U.S Department of Education produced an ‘Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools’,45 which offers research-based processes for identifying armed violence warning signs. It also provides a framework for the development of prevention, intervention and crisis response plans. The guide includes policy advice on:

• Characteristics of a safe and responsive school for all children; • Early warning signs; • Getting help for troubled children; • Developing a prevention and response plan; • Responding to crisis; • Resources; and • Methodology, Contributors, and Research Support

The program advocates the discussion of firearm risks with students and the teaching of strategies for appropriate emotional expression and conflict resolution. It specifically addresses the issue of firearms availability and the important roles that families play in ensuring firearms are not easily accessed. It highlights the importance of in-service training for school staff and the building of school capacity to effectively identify and respond to warning signs for armed violence in schools.

Effective Policing Strategies are vital for any integrated effort to prevent armed violence in schools. “Directed policing” is a useful model when coupled with legislative responses, such as the “Gun Free Zones” approach, and has played a substantial role in Latin American efforts to enforce local firearms bans.46 In adopting a directed policing approach, law enforcement officials focus activities in areas where acts of armed violence are concentrated geographically and temporally. This approach often

42 Kirsten A. (2006) “Islands of safety in a sea of guns: gun-free zones in South Africa’s Fothane, Diepkloof, and Khayelitsha.” Geneva, Small Arms Survey. 43 Kirsten A. (2004) “The role of social movements in gun control: an international comparison between South Africa, Brazil and Australia.” Durban, Centre for Civil Society. 44 U.S Department of Education. (Online) Available at: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/gtss.html 45 Center for Effective Collaboration and Practice of the American Institutes for Research (1998) “Early Warning, Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools” [Online] Available at: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep/gtss.html 46 Bellis, M. A, Jones, L., Hughes, K. and Hughes, S. (2010) Preventing and Reducing Armed Violence: What Works? A Background Paper for the Oslo Conference on Armed Violence, Achieving the Millennium Development Goals. (http://www.osloconferencearmedviolence.no/backgroundpapers.cfm)

14

employs ‘stop and search’ techniques to assess suspicious individuals and to confiscate illegal firearms. The strategy can potentially provide a generalized deterrence to individuals and groups with respect to firearms possession, as well as reduce the number of firearms circulating in these environments. The targeting of youth in ‘stop and search’ activities carries substantial risks, however, and demands that law enforcement personnel be trained to respect human rights and foster positive relationships within the communities they serve. The strategy should be systematic and only ‘profile’ individuals on the basis of solid data. These activities should be managed to mitigate the risks of youth stigmatization, the application of delinquent ‘labels’ or the unnecessary diversion of young people to the criminal justice system. Evidence suggests that this highly targeted form of policing can be effective,47 however the strategy and specific processes must be grounded in locally collected evidence for the sake of effectiveness and risk mitigation.

“Problem-oriented” policing strategies offer a broader approach to challenges associated with armed violence prevention in schools. In response to a specific problem, problem-oriented policing mobilizes multi-agency programs involving social, youth and family services, school communities, health services, criminal justice agencies and departments and local businesses, among others.48 The strategy has been piloted in the United States and was targeted specifically at gang members who accounted for a significant proportion of urban violence in the city of Boston. The strategy implemented in this particular US city involved increased enforcement activity and greater communication between police agencies and gangs to better share an anti-violence message with youth. The programme also provided counseling and support services to gang members including employment initiatives.49 Such approaches have been adopted in Central America and have included voluntary weapons amnesties and education and engagement activities targeting at-risk youth. These particular initiatives, however, were considered to have only minimal impact on armed violence in the Central American context. In the assessment of these particular programmes it was suggested that much larger and broader investments would be required to reduce the levels of gang violence. This would involve the redress of social exclusion, lack of employment and other inequalities.50

Evidence suggests that strategies focusing exclusively on the repression and incarceration of gang members, for example, are not successful in reducing levels of armed violence relating to gang activities.51 In the Central American context it has been argued that these types of aggressive responses have galvanized gang members in their commitment to organized crime and indeed made levels of armed violence worse.52

47 McGarrell EF et al. (2001) “Reducing firearms violence through directed police patrol.” Criminology and Public Policy, 1:119-148. 48 Bellis, M. A, Jones, L., Hughes, K. and Hughes, S. (2010) “Preventing and Reducing Armed Violence: What Works? A Background Paper for the Oslo Conference on Armed Violence, Achieving the Millennium Development Goals.” [Online] Available at: (http://www.osloconferencearmedviolence.no/backgroundpapers.cfm) 49 Braga AA. (2008) “Pulling levers focused deterrence strategies and the prevention of gun homicide.” Journal of Criminal Justice, 36:332-343. 50 Jütersonke O, Muggah R, Rodgers D. (2009) “Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in Central America.” Security Dialogue, 40:373-397. 51 Rodgers D, Muggah R, Stevenson C. (2009) “Gangs of Central America: causes, costs, and interventions.” Geneva, Small Arms Survey; Mercy JA et al. (2002) “Youth violence” in: Krug EG, Dahlberg L, Mercy JA, Zwi AB, Lozano R eds. World report on violence and health. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2002. 52 Jütersonke O, Muggah R, Rodgers D. (2009) “Gangs, urban violence, and security interventions in Central America.” Security Dialogue, 40:373-397.

15

Part III: Established responses to armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean Schools

In December 2009, UNLIREC launched its First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean.53 The purpose of the survey was, in part, to assist in elaborating a baseline study on armed violence in schools and policies for prevention in the region.

UNLIREC received ten (10) official responses to the survey and additional responses from civil society organizations. Several responses outlined policy and programme responses to conflict and school violence. Very few addressed the problem of armed violence specifically. The policies detailed in the survey responses ranged from non-violence education programmes for school students and staff; parental engagement programs encouraging critical self-reflection; the implementation of ‘Family Life’ and health curriculum including sessions on building positive self-concept, identifying and exercising individual rights, valuing others, impulse control and improved peer relationships.

Some countries detailed programmes that promoted democratic values, the importance of community participation, liberty, solidarity, peaceful resolution of conflicts and respect for human rights. Other responses referred to more specific but rarely comprehensive policies for firearm possession and armed violence in schools. Some ministries of education have adopted policies that consider the possession of firearm a ‘serious offence’, which mandates expulsion from school and referral to the justice system for criminal charges. Others mandate that schools develop school safety plans to comprehensively address issues of school safety and violence prevention. Some governments require their schools to create detailed procedures which address the prevention of firearms and their use on school campuses. Some administrators in certain countries are permitted to conduct searches and “pat downs” when a student is suspected of carrying contraband inclusive of firearms. Other programmes focus on the prevention of gangs in educational environments. These programmes often supported educators in working with parents, family and students themselves in strengthening family ties and discouraging young people from joining violent social groups. Others referred to broad strategies of evaluating buildings and other school infrastructure in ‘prevention by design’ initiatives, and very specific regulations including prohibiting law enforcement and military officials to carry their firearms when visiting school premises.

Survey responses indicated that there are no centralized systems in place to record incidences of armed violence or firearms possession in schools.

Two strategies: one implemented by the Provincial Government of Mendoza, Argentina, and the other by the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education provide leading examples for the region in terms of specific responses to armed violence in schools. Though these strategies were not identified or explained in response to UNLIREC’s Regional Survey, they were identified through broader UNLIREC research and outreach efforts as outlined briefly here.54

53 Survey documentation is included with this Concept Note as Annex II. 54 During the completion of this paper other relevant national experiences were identified in the form of national safe schools programmes (Escuelas Seguras) in Mexico and Guatemala. A preliminary review of these programmes did not identify significant content addressing weapons issues, but a more profound analysis of these programmes will be part of a future phase of this project.

16

Good Practice Example 1: Provincial Government of Mendoza, Argentina The provincial directorate of schools in Mendoza, Argentina, enacted two resolutions in the year 2002 (Resolutions 00137 and 00158) to specifically address the presence of firearms in schools. These resolutions are a useful example of a contemporary legal and policy response to the problem.

Resolution 00137 establishes the outright banning of weapons in schools, defines the types of weapons to be controlled, and outlines preventive, disciplinary and rehabilitative measures for perpetrators. The Resolution requires schools and their staff to develop and implement policies and procedures when a firearm-related incident occurs in a school or its surroundings. Resolution 00158 outlines a specific process to be enacted when a firearm is encountered within school grounds and when the custodian of the weapon is identified.55

Resolution 00137 states that the presence of firearms in schools is an expression of a grave social problem that must be dealt with, in the first instance, by ensuring the physical security of individuals and the broader educational community. It obligates schools to implement measures for psychological support to students who bring firearms to school. The resolution also establishes that any student carrying a firearm into a school will be subject to immediate preventive suspension. The student will be subject to further sanctions, depending on their grade level. For the 1st and 2nd cycles of elementary education, students bringing firearms to school will be subject to an individual, social, and institutional evaluation carried out by the Directorate for School Health and Educational Guidance. These evaluations are designed to determine whether the student should be transferred to another school. Regardless of the results of these evaluations, the student is obligated to undergo therapeutic treatment with the involvement of their parents or guardians. For the 3rd cycle of primary school, secondary school, and higher educational levels, the student loses their status as a regular student and will continue to pursue education under an independent study arrangement. The student will be obligated to undergo therapeutic treatment, and can regain status as a regular student when deemed appropriate by educational authorities.

Good Practice Experience 2: Government of Costa Rica The “Escuela Segura” programme implemented by the Costa Rican Ministry of Public Education (MEP) makes specific provisions for responding to armed violence in schools, and is increasingly recognized as a useful model for violence prevention in Latin American schools.56 The programme is structured broadly to provide guidance to principals, teachers and parents on the prevention and responses to violence in schools. It builds capacity in school conflict prevention processes and in the promotion of a culture of peace in school environments. The programme has been integrated with a broader pedagogical approach with the aim of strengthening academic service quality and promoting the relevance of education to daily life.

Of particular interest though are the programme’s specific suggestions for school responses to armed violence and the possession of weapons. It recommends that every educational centre form an internal committee for addressing and responding to armed violence on their premises. The committees are mandated to formulate and implement annual plans for prevention and awareness measures. The committees are responsible for the school response to incidents of armed violence or firearms possession on their grounds or in their immediate surroundings. The programme supports

55 See Annex III for an outline of these procedures. 56 See Government of Costa Rica. 2008. “Guía general de intervención para la prevención y atención de la violencia con armas en centros educativos.” Friedrich Ebert Stifung.

17

the development of an Armed Violence Observatory Group that monitors and reports on incidents of armed violence in their school environment. The programme offers and assists with school procedures to be enacted when an incident of armed violence occurs or a firearm is discovered.57 These processes are specific enough to include a list of what information should be reported when calling or otherwise referring the matter to police. The programme emphasizes the central role of police in responding to situations where firearms might be found, ordering evacuations and otherwise enforcing the law. The school committee is ideally responsible for providing psychological support services to victims, witnesses and the perpetrators of violent acts, if applicable. The committee is further charged with providing advice to the Director of the school and actively evaluating the effectiveness of the prevention and response measures implemented.

57 See Annex III for examples of these processes.

18

Part IV: Opportunities for action

The following section identifies concrete action points that can be taken to better define the problems of firearms proliferation and armed violence in schools, diagnose the key risk factors and develop policies to make school safe from firearms violence.

Action Point 1: Establish or adapt existing national systems for the registration of incidences of armed violence in schools. Identify armed violence ‘hot-spots’ that might exist in and around school environments. The challenge for governments, educators, police and other authorities is to develop inherently local understandings of armed violence ‘hot-spots’ and the problem more broadly. These efforts will ideally involve the collection of more specific data including the distribution and nature of incidences of armed violence in and around the ‘hot-spots’ identified in national data-sets. Local assessments can be conducted to assess the suitability of policy responses outlined in Part II of this working paper or as otherwise identified by governments, educators and civil society groups. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) outlines four key categories of determinants for armed violence ‘hot-spots’ that should be understood when searching for prevention ‘entry points’. These categories are “people,” “perpetrators,” “instruments” and “institutions.”58 Though the development of tailored assessment models for armed violence policy planning is required in each case, a brief overview of some relevant questions for each category of determinants is provided here.

The “people” determinants to be understood in a school armed violence ‘hot-spot’ assessment could include:

58 OECD (2009) “Armed Violence Reduction: Enabling Development.” [Online] Available at: http://browse.oecdbookshop.org/oecd/pdfs/browseit/4309151E.PDF

19

• How boys, girls, other students, teachers and other staff define their security needs;

• Who is being directly affected by armed violence and in what ways;

• Exactly where and when attacks are committed, and by whom;

• Who is being indirectly affected, and in what ways;

• Who is not being directly/indirectly affected, and why. This may identify effective “protective factors”

that can be replicated in policy and programme responses;

• Whether all incidents of armed violence are being captured in central reporting systems, or the reasons preventing their capture.

• How people perceive/relate to state institutions and actors including police;

• How people perceive/relate to the perpetrators of armed violence;

• If non-perpetrators are investing in personal defence,

such as the procurement of firearms;

• To whom people turn for justice and security services;

• If there are adequate provisions for victim assistance.

The “perpetrators” determinants to be understood in a school armed violence ‘hot-spot’ assessment could include:

• Who is committing the armed violence - where and when they occur, and what motivates them;

• How the perpetrators are related to victims;

• How the perpetrators relate to state actors and institutions;

• How demand for firearms is influenced by the informal

institutional environment and norms, ie. Guns as a status symbol;

• How demand for firearms is influenced by a desire to manage or protect illicit markets, for example the drug trade;

• To what extent alcohol or substance abuse is a factor;

• What factors lead people in the same community (and some demographics) to not carry or misuse weapons. Analyze if these entry points for armed violence reduction in school environments.

The “instruments” determinants to be understood in a school armed violence ‘hot-spot’ assessment could include:

• Where weapons are concentrated (geographically and demographically) and when they are used;

• How weapons are sourced, and who is supplying them;

• What types of firearms are in circulation and what they cost - what assets are used to acquire them;

• What economic, social, political and cultural factors shape demand for weapons;

• How firearms are perceived by school communities;

• If efforts have been made to regulate firearms in the past, and if they were effective;

• If there are existing penalties for carrying and using firearms.

The “institutions” determinants to be understood in a school armed violence ‘hot-spot’ assessment could include:

• What factors reduce the state’s ability to address armed violence problems;

• In what ways state representatives and public authorities contribute to armed violence;

• The state of public authorities’ existing relationships with perpetrators of armed violence;

• How can ministries of the interior, education, social affairs, and criminal

justice support armed violence reduction priorities in schools;

• If the current legal framework dealing with armed violence in schools is adequate - if it is accepted and respected, and if capacity exists to enforce it;

• How responses to armed violence in school harmonize with relevant international or regional conventions and treaties on Small Arms and Light Weapons;

• What the capacity, role and accountability of the police and criminal justice/prison systems are. Do the police and justice system have sufficient capacity and security to investigate firearms related crimes?;

• If formal institutional reporting systems in the criminal justice and public health sectors are accurately capturing data on all victims of armed violence. Determine if certain types of victims are being systematically

21

excluded from assistance;

• What local-level formal governance capacity exists to act on the issue;

• What factors enhance or reduce the ability of

traditional or community institutions and leaders to address armed violence problems. What are the capacities? What are the challenges? Are there actual or potential armed violence

reduction champions? Do they enjoy popular legitimacy? What types of support do they need?;

• To which institutions youth turn for justice and security provision

Government and civil society capacity to identify armed violence prevention entry points already exists in some jurisdictions, and indeed answers to these questions have already been established in some localities in Latin America and the Caribbean. The investment in partnerships on the part of Governments and civil society alike will be pivotal in collecting, collating and analyzing data with respect to “people,” “perpetrators,” “instruments” and “institutions.”determinants driving armed violence problems in schools.

Action Point 2: Build capacity to assess ‘determinants’ or causes of armed violence hot-spots in and around local school environments. The results of national data and ‘hot-spot’ public security assessments can direct government efforts on armed violence prevention to best effect. Whilst the need for multi-faceted strategic responses to armed violence is clear, a ‘Gun Free Schools’ legislative and educational model is a promising and highly adaptable tool for jurisdictions throughout the region. Depending on local circumstances and public security challenges, it has the potential to address the perceptions of security and reduce the number of firearms circulating in school environments.

External support and advice for national and municipal governments in legislating on ‘Gun Free Schools’ may be required. Governments, educators and law enforcement agencies should seek technical legal and policy development assistance for the establishment and enforcement of ‘Gun Free School’ environments, the harmonization of national and local laws for the viability of the zones, and the joint training of law enforcement officials and educators for programme implementation and evaluation.

Action Point 3: Elaborate plans for local “Gun Free Schools” frameworks. Harmonize local and national laws to prohibit the entry, possession and/or use of firearms in educational environments. Ongoing support for law enforcement capacity-building in the area of armed violence reduction in schools is central to any prevention initiative. Law enforcement agencies must be supported in

22

adopting operational frameworks for practical disarmament, human security and armed violence reduction, including measures and best practices of youth violence prevention within the context of citizen security. Police should be trained with field exercises involving illegal arms trafficking, directed policing and interaction with youth gangs. Law enforcement officials should be evaluated on their ability to differentiate gang members from other at-risk youth, respect human rights, and mainstream gender perspectives in all aspects of their operations.

23

Part VI: Next Steps

This paper aims at increasing the knowledge available on firearms proliferation and armed violence in Latin American and Caribbean educational centres. While it goes a considerable distance in achieving its objective there is still considerable terrain to cover in order to create a broad community of practice with a common knowledge base of the problem and the effectiveness of different policy solutions and interventions. UNLIREC will continue to pursue a research and advocacy agenda in this area as part of its ongoing institutional commitment to promote and implement the UN 2001 PoA on Small Arms and the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. Some of the key activities for the next phase of this work will include:

• Convening one or more regional expert meetings of educators, students, parents association leaders, government officials and UN agency representatives to share best practices about the specific issues of firearms and armed violence in schools, as well as broader frameworks for addressing violence and insecurity in schools and communities;

• Modifying and improving the survey found in Annex II for a more targeted distribution among ministries of education and other entities active in this field; and

• Supporting interested Latin American and Caribbean governments in implementing firearms proliferation and armed violence prevention frameworks similar to those discussed in this paper vis-à-vis pilot interventions in partnership with other UN agencies and civil society organizations.

There are obviously a number of UN agencies with mandates and interests in small arms control and armed violence reduction including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children´s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), the World Health Organization (WHO) and many other entities that form part of the Coordinating Action on Small Arms Mechanism (CASA).59 UNLIREC will be engaging these institutions and others as this work progresses. Institutions and experts with interest in engaging in future stages of this work or sharing experiences not identified in this paper should contact [programme@unlirec.org]. 59 CASA is the small arms coordinating action mechanism within the UN. Applying the wealth of expertise of its members, CASA is able to frame the small arms issue in all its aspects, making use of development, crime, terrorism, human rights, gender, youth, health and humanitarian insights. Collaborative initiatives under CASA include fact-finding missions, capacity-building projects, workshops and technical assistance to support Member States in the implementation of the UN 2001 PoA, the International Tracing Instrument and the UN Firearms Protocol. Recently, CASA embarked upon the development of the International Small Arms Control Standards (ISACS) just as the UN system has done with landmines (the International Mine Action Standards) and DD&R (IDDRS). UNODA is the designated focal point of CASA with UNLIREC undertaking this role for the Latin American and Caribbean región.

24

Annex I – Media-monitoring: incidences of armed violence in schools (2000 to 2010)

South America

Argentina 11 /05/00 Accidental School Shooting

In Las Heras (Mendoza Province)

A boy shot his 12 year-old classmate in the left hand and leg during art class in the Mariano Necochea school in Las Heras, surprising the teacher and classmates. It was unknown where the .32 calibre revolver came from, but the case was treated as an accident as the child did not know he was handling a real weapon.60

11/05/00 Accidental School Shooting In Wilde (Buenos Aires)

A 15 year old boy was shot at school in the right leg by a .22 caliber pistol that went off accidentally from inside a classmate’s backpack. The student did not explain why he brought a weapon to school.61

04/08/00 School Shooting In Rafael Calzada (Buenos Aires)

On 4 August 2000 a 19 year old boy killed a fellow classmate (16 year old boy) and wounded another (an 18 year old boy) because they had been teasing him. It occurred in front of a school in Rafael Calzada. He brought the revolver to school from home.62

07/05/02 13 year old teenager arrested for bringing a revolver to school

A 13-year-old student at a school in the city of Cordoba was arrested by police after he showed a .32 caliber revolver to his peers and teachers. Police said that teen has not threatened anyone with the firearm.63

08/05/03

Shooting 3 Blocks from Campus in La Plata

A 13 year old boy shot his classmate (another 13 year old boy) with a 3 revolver three blocks from campus after school following a fist fight sev prior64

28/09/04 School Shooting in Carmen de Patagones

A fifteen year old boy killed 4 classmates and wounded another 5 inside a classroom in Carmen de Patagones in Argentina. The 9mm pistol belonged to his father who was an officer of the Prefectura Naval (Coast Guard). 65

60 Lanacion.com, “Hubo ayer otros tres casos de violencia escolar,” 12 May 2000, <http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=16425>. 61 Lanacion.com, “Hubo ayer otros tres casos de violencia escolar.” 62 Lanacion.com, “Absuelvan al chico que mató a un compañero que se burlaba de él.” 8 April 2003, <http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=487197>. 63 Lanacion.com.ar, “Detienen a un menor en Córdoba por llevar un arma a la escuela,” 7 may 2001, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=394731 64 Lanacion.com, “Baleó a su compañero de escuela,” 9 May 2000, <http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=16425>. 65 IANSA, Children and adults killed and wounded in school and campus shootings since 1996, [Online] Available at: www.iansa.org [Accessed 31 September 2009].

25

08/11/04 Student wounds himself with the firearm he brought to school

A student from a school in Buenos Aires was wounded when he fired the weapon he had brought to school. 66

19/09/05 A child shoots himself in the foot with a revolver brought from home

A 12 year old boy accidentally shot himself in his right foot after bringing a .22 caliber revolver to class in in the city of Villa Allende. It was reported that he brought the firearm from his home.67

27/09/06 School Shooting In Rosario A fourteen old boy shot a fifteen year old boy in the leg at the Juan Deheza school south of Rosario. They unexpectedly fled a classroom to the school courtyard when one pulled out a revolver from his backpack.68

01/10/06 Student arrested for bringing a loaded .22 calibre revolver to school

A 14-year female student was arrested for bringing a .22 calibre revolver to school in her backpack. Live rounds were found in the chamber of the firearm.69

07/05/07 Armed robbery Four armed men stormed a high school in the neighborhood of Almagro (Buenos Aires) and tried to escape with stolen money. They were arrested by police as they attempted to escape the school.70

01/09/07 Student brings a revolver to school.

A fourteen year old student brought a revolver to school.71

07/09/07 Student brings a .32 caliber revolver to school.

A 12 year old student brought a .32 caliber revolver to school. A concerned student alerted the authorities.72

15/04/08 Student suspended for bringing a .22 caliber pistol to school.

A 17 year old student at a technical school in Temperley, Lomas de Zamora District (Buenos Aires) was suspended for bringing a .22-caliber Bersa pistol to school in his backpack. The firearm was given to the teenager by a neighbour for storage in the student’s home.73

66 Lanacion.com.ar, “Un alumno resultó herido al dispararse el arma que había llevado al colegio,” 8 November 2004, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=652303 67 Lanacion.com.ar, “Córdoba: un niño se disparó en un pie con un arma que llevó a la escuela.” 19 September 2005 http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=740232 68 Lanacion.com, “Dos nuevos hechos violentos en escuelas,” 29 September 2006, <http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=844714>. 69 Lanacion.com.ar, “Córdoba: detienen a una alumna que llevó un arma a la escuela,” 1 October 2003, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=532099 70 Lanacion.com, “Asaltan un colegio en pleno horario de clases,” 7 May 2007, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=906599 71 Lanacion.com, “Un alumno concurrió a la escuela con un arma,” 7 September 2007 http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=941821 72 Ibid. 73 Lanacion.com.ar, “Demoran a un alumno por llevar un arma a la escuela” 15 April 2008, http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1004547

26

06/11/09 Teenager threatens classmates with revolver then committs suicide

A 14-year-old committed suicide in a classroom in front of his teacher and a tutor at a school in the province of Neuquén. The teenager aimed the .32 caliber revolver at students before taking his own life.74

14/04/10 Student brings BB airsoft replica pistol to school and threatens other students

A sixteen year old student brought a replica BB airsoft pistol to school. He threatened at least two people with the replica firearm.75

24/04/10 Student brings a loaded semi-automatic pistol to school and threatens other students

A fourteen year old student brought a GMC .22 calibre semi-automatic pistol to school in Rosario. The firearm held three live rounds. With the safety on he pointed the firearm at the head and chest of a classmate whilst pulling the trigger.76

Brazil

25/06/08 Teacher shot outside school

A 29 year old teacher was shot in the head in Suzano, in Greater São Paulo. The teacher was approached by two gunmen opposite the school in what was apprently an attempt to steal the victim´s car.77

11/03/09 Student shot in the back by ‘stray bullet’ whilst sitting in school yard

An 18 year old student was shot whilst in a school yard in Belo Horizonte. Witnesses said the student was sitting sitting in the yard soon after physical education class, and was hit in the back by a ‘stray bullet’ from a firefight between rival gangs.78

13/03/09 School Shooting in Belo Horizonte

A 17 year-old student was killed in front of friends, on 13 March 2009, in front of a school in Belo Horizonte. He was waiting to enter the building of the Mendes Pimentel School when he was shot in the mouth.79

74 Lanacion.cl, “Argentina: Niño se suicidó frente a su profesora en sala clase,” http://www.lanacion.cl/argentina-nino-se-suicido-frente-a-su-profesora-en-sala-clase/noticias/2009-11-06/125658.html 75 Cadena3.com, “Córdoba: denuncian que un alumno asistió al colegio con un “mata gatos” 14 April, 2010, http://www.cadena3.com/contenido/2010/04/14/50987.asp 76 Lacapital.com.ar, “Un chico llevó una pistola al colegio y gatilló contra seis compañeras” 24 May 2010, http://www.lacapital.com.ar/contenidos/2010/04/24/noticia_0004.html 77 OGlobo.com, “Profesor é baleado após reagir a assalto em frente de escola” 25 June 2008, http://oglobo.globo.com/sp/mat/2008/06/25/professor_baleado_apos_reagir_assalto_em_frente_de_escola-546960329.asp 78 OGlobo.com, “Estudante é baleado dentro de escola em bairro nobre de BH,” 11 March 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/cidades/mat/2009/03/11/estudante-baleado-dentro-de-escola-em-bairro-nobre-de-bh-754782307.asp 79 Globo.com. “Student is murdered in the school door in Belo Horizonte.” http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Brasil/0,,MUL1042328-5598,00-ALUNO+E+ASSASSINADO+NA+PORTA+DE+ESCOLA+EM+BELO+HORIZONTE.html

27

17/03/09 School shooting in Linhares

A 17 year-old boy was killed in front his school. He was shots three times by a man passing the school on a bicycle.80

17/03/09 Teenager killed and another wounded during shooting.

A 17 year old was killed and a 16 year old wounded when they were fired upon at sporting facilities near their school.81

27/03/09 Teenager shot at his school in Salvador

A 14 year old was shot in the jaw at his school in the district of Castelo Branco, in Salvador. The offender, described as a young man, stormed the school looking for the student. When he found the student he shot him in the face and fled.82

14/04/09 Student brings a firearm to School

A 14 year-old adolescent was caught with a firearm at school. The student was showing the ammunition to other students.83

16/04/09 A boy is shot and killed and a mother wounded during an armed robbery at the entrance of a school

An armed robbery at the entrance to a private school in the village of Alexandrina resulted in the shooting and hospitalization of the victim of the theft (the mother of a student). A boy who tried to prevent the theft was killed.84

27/04/09 Parent shot dead whilst waiting for children at school

A parent of a student was shot dead at a school in the north of São Paulo qhilst waiting for his children. He was attacked by least two masked gunmen.85

04/06/09 Student is shot twice in the back during a disagreement with a classmate

A disagreement between a 17 and 20 year old from the State College Vera Cruz in Mandaguari resulted in one of the students being shot twice in the back.86

80 Globe.com. Boy is killed in front of school in the Espírito Santo.[Online] Available at: http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Brasil/0,,MUL1048595-5598,00-GAROTO+E+MORTO+EM+FRENTE+A+ESCOLA+NO+ESPIRITO+SANTO.html 81 OGlobo.com, “Um adolescente é morto e outro baleado ao lado de escola no Espírito Santo,” 17 March 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/cidades/mat/2009/03/17/um-adolescente-morto-outro-baleado-ao-lado-de-escola-no-espirito-santo-754874522.asp 82 OGlobo.com, “Adolescente é baleado dentro de escola em Salvador,” 27 March 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/pais/cidades/mat/2009/03/27/adolescente-baleado-dentro-de-escola-em-salvador-755033821.asp 83 Globe.com. 14 year-old boy takes weapon for school in RS. [Online] Available at: http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Brasil/0,,MUL1104194-5598,00-MENINO+DE+ANOS+LEVA+ARMA+PARA+ESCOLA+NO+RS.html 84 OGlobo.com, “Assalto em porta de escola termina com um morto e um ferido em São Paulo,” 16 April 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/sp/mat/2009/04/16/assalto-em-porta-de-escola-termina-com-um-morto-um-ferido-em-sao-paulo-755315418.asp 85 OGlobo.com, “Pai de aluno é baleado em escola da zona norte de São Paulo, diz PM” 27 April 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/sp/mat/2009/04/27/pai-de-aluno-baleado-em-escola-da-zona-norte-de-sao-paulo-diz-pm-755468980.asp

28

17/06/09 Student shot by another teenager at school

A 15 year old student was shot by another teenager at school in Parana. The perpetrator had previously made threatening comments to the victim on the ‘Orkut’ social networking site.87

09/09/09 Accidental shooting of a teenage student

A 15 year old student attending a class was accidentally shot at his School in Sao Leopoldo.88

21/09/09 Accidental Shooting of a Teenage student

A 15 year old boy was hit by a bullet from the .32 caliber firearm of his classmate inside a classroom in Leme, Brazil. The student had bought the weapon three months before from his neighbor and was showing it to his classmates when the shot was fired.89

02/10/09 Accidental shooting kills a teenage student

A 14-year-old student was accidentally shot dead at her school in Cascavel, in the West of Paraná. A 16 year old student was responsible for the accidental discharge of the firearm, and was carrying the .38 calibre revolver because he feared for his safety after being threatened by others.90

03/03/10 Student shot A 15 year old student was shot whilst attending school in Salvador. The

youngster was hit in the right armpit and recovered from his injuries. The shooting occured as part of a dispute between two groups of teenagers from the same neighbourhood.91

09/04/10 Two students shot at school Two students were shot inside a school in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.92

86 OGlobo.com, “Jovem é baleado por colega dentro de escola em Mandaguari, no Paraná,” 4 June 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2009/06/04/jovem-baleado-por-colega-dentro-de-escola-em-mandaguari-no-parana-756188869.asp 87 Globo.com, “Adolescente baleado em escola do Paraná tinha sido ameaçado no Orkut,” 17 June 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2009/06/17/adolescente-baleado-em-escola-do-parana-tinha-sido-ameacado-no-orkut-756379791.asp 88 OGlobo.com, “Adolescente de 15 anos é baleado dentro de escola no Rio Grande do Sul” 9 September 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2009/09/09/adolescente-de-15-anos-baleado-dentro-de-escola-no-rio-grande-do-sul-767535716.asp 89 O Globo, “Aluno leva arma e disparo atinge colega dentro de sala de aula em Leme, SP,” 22 September 2009, <http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2009/09/22/aluno-leva-arma-disparo-atinge-colega-dentro-de-sala-de-aula-em-leme-sp-767721075.asp>. 90 OGlobo.com, “Menina de 14 anos morre baleada durante aula de Física em escola do Paraná,” 2 October 2009, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2009/10/02/menina-de-14-anos-morre-baleada-durante-aula-de-fisica-em-escola-do-parana-767881950.asp 91 Jornal Do Brasil, “Adolescente é baleado dentro de escola em Salvador,” 3 March 2010, http://jbonline.terra.com.br/pextra/2010/03/03/e030311570.asp 92 Oglobo.com, “Jovens são baleados dentro de escola de Belo Horizonte” 9 April 2010, http://oglobo.globo.com/cidades/mat/2010/04/09/jovens-sao-baleados-dentro-de-escola-de-belo-horizonte-916300227.asp

29

Colombia

06/09 Firearm is surrendered to school authorities.

A 16 year old boy turned in a pistol to the principal of his school in Cali. He explained that the educational talks he received at school helped him make the decision to surrender the weapon that he had saved up to buy with money his parents had given him for recreation. His mother requested that the security be reinforced in local schools, as many young boys decide to acquire firearms to protect themselves from attacks by gangs and delinquent groups in and around their schools.93

01/06 Teacher shot in classroom A teacher was shot in front of her pupils in January 2006 in Tuluá, Valle, allegedly by members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).94

04/06/09 Student produces a firearm in class

A student drew a firearm during an English class. The teacher managed to take the firearm from the student without further incident. The student was considered suffer from mental illness.95

20/08/09 Incident of Shooting 20 meters from school

A 19 year old student was shot 5 times and killed whilst leaving the campus of his school in Medellin. It occurred after a night class and was reportedly motivated by revenge; one of the suspects said the victim reported to have been attacked by the victim. 96

27/04/10 Student brings .33 calibre pistol, silencer and ammunition to school.

A 12 year old girl brought a .33 calibre pistol, silencer and ammunition to school in her backpack. Police argued that she and other students were being used by criminals to transport firearms and drugs.97

93 CARACOLTV.com, “Menor entregó un revólver que compró con dinero de su mesada,” 7 June 2009, <http://www.caracoltv.com/articulo141653-menor-entrego-un-revolver-compro-dinero-de-su-mesada>. 94 UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (2010) “Education under Attack 2010 – Colombia”, 10 February 2010, http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/4b7aa9e328.html [accessed 23 July 2010] 95 El Mundo, “Niño desató el pánico al sacar un arma en plena clase en una escuela rural de Pereira” 4 June 2009, http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/ejecafetero/nino-desato-el-panico-al-sacar-un-arma-en-plena-clase-en-una-escuela-rural-de-pereira_5348007-1 96 El Mundo, “Otro estudiante asesinado: No se ha demostrado que el joven de 19 años tenía conductas delictivas,” 22 Agosto 2009, http://www.elmundo.com/sitio/noticia_detalle.php?idedicion=1472&idcuerpo=1&dscuerpo=Secci%C3%B3n%20A&idseccion=8&dsseccion=Antioquia&idnoticia=125322&imagen=&vl=1&r=antioquia.php http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/antioquia/en-menos-de-24-horas-murieron-dos-estudiantes-en-colegio-de-comuna-13-en-medellin_5912927-1 97 CaracolTV, “Niña de 12 años llevaba una pistola con silenciador en su maleta de colegio,” 27 April 2010, http://www.caracoltv.com/noticias/nacion/articulo176459-nina-de-12-anos-llevaba-una-pistola-silenciador-su-maleta-de-colegio

30

Uruguay

2000 Intimidation with a firearm A high school student threatened a classmate with a gun for him to hand over his sandwich. 98

26/05/03 Student brings a pistol to school with intention to threaten a classmate

A 12 year old boy brought a pistol to school with the intention of threatening a class-mate who had been annoying or teasing him for some time.

Central America

El Salvador

12/06/09 Teacher assassinated A teacher of the Escuela Roberto Quiñonez was shot in front of the Escuela Cantón Botoncillo. The vice-principal of the school was wounded in the attack. They were shot at point-blank after they disembarked from their bus and were entering the school.99

Honduras

26/08/09 Incident of School Shooting In La Ceiba

A 30 year old student and 45 year old security guard were shot at the Manuel Bonilla institute inside a classroom during night class. Two other students ages 18 and 21 were also injured.100

06/05/10 Student brings a .25 calibre pistol to school

A sixth-grade student brought a .25 calibre pistol to school in the district of Rivera Hernández.101

Mexico

07/02/05 Accidental shooting A 14 year old boy accidentally shot a 14 year old girl in the leg with a pistol at their high school in Nezahualcoyotl. She was hospitalized with a potentially life-threatening wound.102

98 El Pais. Uruguay: Child carrying a weapon to school again. [Online] Available at: http://www.comunidadesegura.org/pt-br/node/21440 99 DiarioCoLatino.com, “Asesinan a balazos a profesor en Lourdes,” 12 June 2009, <http://www.diariocolatino.com/es/20090612/nacionales/67870/>. 100 El Heraldo, “Conmoción por doble crimen en colegio,” 3 September 2009, <http://www.elheraldo.hn/index.php/Sucesos/Ediciones/2009/09/04/Noticias/Conmocion-por-doble-crimen-en-colegio>. 101 El Tiempo, “Niño lleva pistola a escuela,” 6 May 2010, http://www.tiempo.hn/web2/secciones/el-pais/15588-nino-lleva-pistola-a-escuela.html 102 AP Worldstream, “School shooting wounds 14-year-old outside Mexico City,” 8 February 2005, <http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-105180270.html>.

31

01/08 Shootout at a Preschool

A Tijuana preschool was evacuated as live television footage showed children fleeing ricocheting bullets from a drug trafficker shootout. 103

11/02/08 Student brings .32 calibre revolver to school

A 15 year old student brought a .32 calibre revolver to school in his backpack. When police were called he claimed it was for his and his mother’s protection.104

12/08 Student in possession of a firearm

A 13 year old secondary school student in San Miguel de Allende was found playing with a gun and was reprimanded by school authorities.105

Venezuela

08/09 Armed intruders enter University

Two students and two academics were injured on the campus of Universidad de Los Andes (ULA) in western Venezuela during an attack by a group of 30 individuals. The intruders, some of them carrying guns, burst into the canteen and attacked students.106

08/06/10 Student brings his father’s 9mm pistol to school

A boy brought his father’s 9mm pistol to school to show his friends.107

Caribbean

Jamaica

11/01/07 Accidental shooting A 15 year old boy was showing an illegal weapon to classmates when it went off, wounding a 15 year old girl in the arm. The boy fled the scene and was later apprehended by police.108

02/04/09 Shot fired at school An 11 year old boy fired a semi-automatic pistol at the Holy Rosary Primary School in Kingston. It is believed it was acquired in a nearby inner-city community.109

103 Elliot Spagat, “Hospitals, discos, schools on front line as Tijuana drug gangs battle in the streets,” Associate Press Worldstream, 29 April 2008, Lexis Nexis. 104 El Siglo de Durango, “Alumno lleva pistola a escuela y causa susto,” 11 February 2008, http://www.elsiglodedurango.com.mx/noticia/157407.alumno-lleva-pistola-a-escuela-y-causa-susto.html 105 Correo. Arm found on a secondary school student. [Online] Available at: http://www.correo-gto.com.mx/notas.asp?id=96413 106 Jonathan Travis, “Venezuela: Students and Staff Injured on Campus,” University World News, August 30, 2009. 107 Avance, “Niño se llevó pistola del papá para la escuela,” 9 June 2010, http://www.avancediario.com.ve/index.php/sucesos/casos/1938-nino-se-llevo-pistola-del-papa-para-la-escuela 108 Jamaica Gleaner, “Safe Schools Programme needs more resources,” 13 January 2007, <http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070113/lead/lead3.html>. 109 The Gleaner, “Pistol disappears alter school shooting,” 3 April 2009, <http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090403/lead/lead8.html>.

32

Annex II – Text of survey distributed to Member States

FIRST REGIONAL SURVEY OF POLICIES TO PREVENT FIREARMS PROLIFERATION AND ARMED VIOLENCE IN EDUCATIONAL CENTRES OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

1. Please identify which institution you represent: ______________________________ 2. Does your country have a national commission for the implementation of the UN Programme

of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects? (Please circle your answer) Yes/No

If yes, which of the following institutions are represented? (Please circle all that apply)

• Foreign Affairs • Defense/Armed Forces • Interior/Police • Justice • Intelligence • Education • Public Health • Youth • Women • Civil Society • Academia • Other (please identify) _________________

3. Has your government expressed its official views on the linkages between Armed Violence and

Development to the UN General Assembly? (Please circle your answer) Yes/No 4. Is your government a signatory to the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and

Development? (Please circle your answer) Yes/No 5. How is the educational system organized in your country? (Please circle your answer)

33

• National • State/provincial/departmental • Municipal

6. Does the Ministry of Education, or other applicable body, have specific policies or directives in place to address the potential presence and misuse of firearms in educational centres? (Please circle your answer) Yes/No

a. If so, which of the following elements does it include (please mark X all applicable

areas?

Decommissioning of weapons Victim assistance Expulsion/suspension of offenders Legal consequences for the offenders Special procedures for dealing with minor offenders

Rehabilitation and support for offenders Cooperation with the police Parental involvement

Non-violence education in school premises

Other (please specify)

b. Which body is responsible for existing policies? _________________________

7. Are there any active programmes in your country in place to prevent firearms and their use in educational centres. (Please circle your answer) Yes/No

If you responded yes above, please elaborate:

8. Are you aware of any incidents regarding small arms and light weapons in educational centers in the last 24 months?

34

Please forward any relevant material (programmes, laws, policies, articles, etc) to UNLIREC in digital form to: programme@unlirec.org, by fax +511 440 9571 or in hard copy to the Public Security Programme, UNLIREC, Av. Perez Aranibar 750, Magdalena del Mar, Lima - 17, Peru

35

Annex III – Detailed Procedures from Mendoza and Costa Rica Programmes

Procedures for Dealing with Firearms in Schools (Mendoza, Argentina)

1) When a firearm is discovered but the custodian cannot be identified:

a. Make a report to police and have them collect the weapon. b. File an internal report. c. Inform the appropriate sub-department of the Dirección General de Escuelas. They will

provide further instruction. 2) When a firearm is discovered and the custodian is identified:

a. Make a report to police and have them collect the weapon. b. The School retains the custodian of the firearm in their care until they are delivered to

the police or the relevant youth authority. c. Inform the Directorate for School Health and Educational Guidance. d. Draw up a document with the relevant facts. Parents or guardians and police responding

to the report ought to sign the document together and under supervision of a police authority: i. Personal facts of the minor, including name, identification number, and school year.

ii. Description of the weapon. iii. Circumstances of the confiscation. iv. Comments made by the parents. v. Facts of the intervening police authority.

vi. The formal suspension of the student and the requirements for regaining status. If the student is a minor (under 18 years) the parents or guardians must be informed of the following: The facts of the incident The decreed suspension of the student The oversight given to the police authority The content of the resolution That they can request a psycho social assessment for their child from the Dirección de

36

Salud Escolar y Orientación Pedagógica The right of the student to be heard prior to any final resolution.

If the student is an adult the parents are not necessarily involved. The following information must be provided to the student: The decreed suspension of their student status. The content of this resolution. The right of the student to be heard prior to the adoption of any definitive resolution.

Basic steps for the custody of a firearm (Ministry of Public Education, Costa Rica)

If a firearm is found inside an educational center or if a student surrenders one to school authorities: 1) Immediately call Emergency Services on 911 and report the incident. 2) Restrict access to the area and leave the firearm where it was found. 3) Do no permit anyone to touch or otherwise handle the firearm. 4) Always assume that the firearm is loaded. 5) Evacuate the building and surrounds as appropriate. 6) Supervise the firearm until police arrive.

Practical advice for the care of minors (Ministry of Public Education, Costa Rica)

To guarantee an appropriated response to situations involving firearms or firearm violence it is important to treat minors with respect, intelligence, and calmness. Take into account the following recommendations: 1) Never leave the student alone 2) The interdisciplinary team organized by the internal committee should care for the student. 3) Keep the student calm until parents or guardians arrive. 4) Address students carefully and courteously. Ensure they understand the seriousness of the situation. 5) Do not subject the student to undue pressure, shouting, verbal threats or other forms of intimidation. 6) Try to maintain the student in a private area so that the police can act with discretion. 7) After the event, arrange a psychosocial assessment under the auspices of the school.

37

38

Annex IV – Selected data from responses to UNLIREC’s “First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres in Latin

America and the Caribbean”

Inci

dent

Re

cord

ing

Syst

em

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

(ad

hoc

repo

rtin

g)

No

No

Stru

ctur

e of

Ed

ucat

iona

l sys

tem

Nat

iona

l and

Pr

ovin

cial

Nat

iona

l

Nat

iona

l

Prov

inci

al/D

epar

tmen

tal

Nat

iona

l

Nat

iona

l

Nat

iona

l

Nat

iona

l

Nat

iona

l

Sign

ator

y to

the

Gen

eva

Decl

arat

ion

on

Arm

ed V

iole

nce

and

Deve

lopm

ent

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Expr

esse

d an

of

ficia

l vie

w o

n th

e lin

kage

s be

twee

n ar

med

vio

lenc

e an

d de

velo

pmen

t

Ye

s

--

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes.

Nat

iona

l Co

mm

issi

on fo

r Im

plem

enta

tion

of

UN

PoA

200

1

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Coun

try

Arge

ntin

a

Baha

mas

Boliv

ia

Colo

mbi

a

Cuba

Ecua

dor

Guat

emal

a

Mex

ico

Pana

má

Perú

Source: UNLIREC First Regional Survey of Policies to Prevent Firearms Proliferation and Armed Violence in Educational Centres of Latin America and the Caribbean.