ConflictFragility and Conflict and Fragility Armed Violence Reduction Conflict and Fragility E NABLING DEVELOPMENT Armed Violence On average, 740 000 people die as a result of armed violence each year. This publication will help the international community to understand the dynamics of Reduction armed violence and outlines what can be done to reduce it. Armed Violence Reduction identifies a number of significant emerging trends. E NABLING DEVELOPMENT Firstly, conflict and crime are increasingly linked. Secondly, levels of armed violence are a severe challenge in many non-conflict countries. Thirdly, increasing youth populations in the global South and the emergence of ungoverned urban spaces and youth gangs are a growing reality in many parts of the world. Alongside this, there are increasing links between local, national, regional and global security issues, for example through the trafficking of drugs, arms or people. presents a number of well-researched avenues that can Armed Violence Reduction ArmedViolence Reduction help respond to the above challenges and ultimately help enable development. E LING N A B D EVE The full text of this book is available on line via this link: L O P www.sourceoecd.org/development/9789264060159 M Those with access to all OECD books on line should use this link: E N www.sourceoecd.org/9789264060159 T SourceOECD is the OECD online library of books, periodicals and statistical databases. For more information about this award-winning service and free trials, ask your librarian, or write to us at [email protected]. I SBN 978-92-64-06015-9 43 2009 15 1 P www.oecd.org/publishing -:HSTCQE=U[UVZ^: 001-002-999.fm Page 1 Friday, February 20, 2009 8:34 AM Conflict and Fragility Armed Violence Reduction ENABLING DEVELOPMENT 001-002-999.fm Page 2 Friday, February 20, 2009 2:49 PM ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT The OECD is a unique forum where the governments of 30 democracies work together to address the economic, social and environmental challenges of globalisation. The OECD is also at the forefront of efforts to understand and to help governments respond to new developments and concerns, such as corporate governance, the information economy and the challenges of an ageing population. The Organisation provides a setting where governments can compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practice and work to co-ordinate domestic and international policies. The OECD member countries are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Commission of the European Communities takes part in the work of the OECD. OECD Publishing disseminates widely the results of the Organisation’s statistics gathering and research on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as the conventions, guidelines and standards agreed by its members. This work is published on the responsibility of the Secretary-General of the OECD. The opinions expressed and arguments employed herein do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Organisation or of the governments of its member countries. Also available in French under the title: Conflits et fragilité Réduire la violence armée, permettre le développement Cover illustration: Irochka/Dreamstime.com Corrigenda to OECD publications may be found on line at: www.oecd.org/publishing/corrigenda. © OECD 2009 You can copy, download or print OECD content for your own use, and you can include excerpts from OECD publications, databases and multimedia products in your own documents, presentations, blogs, websites and teaching materials, provided that suitable acknowledgment of OECD as source and copyright owner is given. All requests for public or commercial use and translation rights should be submitted to [email protected]. Requests for permission to photocopy portions of this material for public or commercial use shall be addressed directly to the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) at [email protected] or the Centre français d'exploitation du droit de copie (CFC) at [email protected]. FOREWORD – 3 Foreword We are pleased to provide the foreword to this policy paper on armed violence reduction, which was developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC). 740 000 people die as a result of armed violence each year and it also seriously undermines the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals. This policy paper on armed violence reduction, prepared over a two-year period through a process supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Kingdom, amongst other members, will help the development community understand the dynamics of armed violence and what we can do about it. The United Nations Secretary-General will submit a report on the links between armed violence and development to the General Assembly by the end of 2009. Further political momentum is being provided by the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development which now commits the 103 signatory States to achieve measurable reductions in armed violence. This OECD policy paper provides practical support to these initiatives by setting out how good words can be turned into good programmes to help reduce armed violence globally. The paper outlines a number of significant emerging trends. Conflict and crime are increasingly linked. Levels of armed violence are a severe challenge in many non-conflict countries. Increasing youth populations in the global South and the emergence of ungoverned urban spaces and youth gangs are a growing reality in many parts of the world. Alongside this, there are increasing links between local, national, regional and global security, for example through the trafficking of drugs, arms or people. Donors have given relatively little attention to these issues as compared to conflict or war. Compounding this, most donor organisations are set up to respond at national, not local or regional, levels. The paper provides the methodology which helps donors tackle the challenges outlined above. It builds on existing frameworks, approaches and ARMED VIOLENCE REDUCTION: ENABLING DEVELOPMENT – ISBN 978-92-64-06015-9 – © OECD 2009 4 – FOREWORD lessons learned from security sector reform, as well as conflict and crime prevention. The innovation in this paper is the focus on the victims and perpetrators of armed violence and the institutional and cultural environment that allows violence to flourish. We believe this broader approach will provide useful guidance in addressing the root causes of armed violence and the motivations of perpetrators. The paper provides useful signposts for assessments and programming. It reveals the value of combining a variety of assessment methodologies, including public health assessments, to better access information and understand people’s views. The paper also puts forward two main approaches: direct programming that aims to prevent and reduce armed violence, and indirect programming whereby existing sector-specific strategies and interventions are adapted to address known risk factors that contribute to armed violence. In addition, the paper highlights the benefits to be gained by bringing together development, political, military, policing and diplomatic efforts. We encourage policy advisors at all levels and programme staff on the ground in countries with armed violence problems to read and assimilate this paper. This would help underpin growing OECD work on armed violence reduction, which we support and welcome. Kathleen Cravero Moazzam Malik Assistant Administrator and Director Director United Nations, Conflict and Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Humanitarian Division Recovery United Kingdom Department for United Nations Development International Development Programme ARMED VIOLENCE REDUCTION: ENABLING DEVELOPMENT – ISBN 978-92-64-06015-9 – © OECD 2009 ABSTRACT – 5 Abstract This OECD policy paper explains why development policy makers and practitioners should aim to prevent and reduce armed violence, and suggests a comprehensive, multi- level approach for doing so. It outlines: • How armed violence undermines development, whether in conflict, post- conflict or non-conflict contexts. • The emerging patterns and trends in armed violence, including the grow- ing overlaps between conflict and crime, and the resulting programming gaps. • How development practitioners on the ground can combine different assessment methods and programming responses for more effective interventions to reduce and prevent armed violence. • How emerging approaches to armed violence reduction and prevention (AVR) service the broader goals of state-building, peacebuilding and development through their explicit focus on strengthening the legitimacy and resilience of state-society relations. • The need to reinforce whole-of-government responses that synchronise development, political, military, policing and diplomatic efforts. Overall, the paper signposts how development programming is evolving to respond to the emerging landscapes of underdevelopment and insecurity. It lays the foundation for the future development of operational and programmatic guidelines for armed violence reduction. This policy paper was conceived primarily for OECD-DAC donors and development practitioners,