Small Arms Reduction Programme

The project targets print journalists working for recognised media houses in Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda Tanzania and Uganda. Its objective is to reduce the humanitarian and development impacts of small arms proliferation through research, awareness raising, capacity development, design and support to the implementation of relevant programmes, including of voluntary weapons collection against development incentives.

Africa Peace Forum (APF) organised a regional media sensitisation workshop in March 2004 at which journalists recommended that those organisations involved in peace building and small arms generate a forum where they can contribute their stories. The APF together with the UNDP established a magazine called Amani Afrika in which journalists from the Great Lakes region to contribute their articles. Amani Afrika targets policy makers, national focal points, civil society groups and the academia locally, regionally and internationally

The programme looks for stories of up to 1500 words in English, French or Kiswahili, plus two pictures on any one of the following topics:

• Humanitarian impact of small arms proliferation and misuses,
• Your government’s efforts in controlling arms flows and proliferation, in implementing both UNPoA and Nairobi Declaration, in improving firearms legislations,
• Challenges in tackling small arms proliferation,
• National awareness campaigns on small arms,
• Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) processes,
• Testimonies of victims and users of small arms.

Conflict.

The project objective are to:

• provide incentive for journalists to research, debate and investigate on armed violence,
• ensure small arms and light weapons issues feature in national and international media,
• revive media interest in the small arms reduction and proliferation debate,
• mobilise society behind national armed violence reduction programmes.