GVD interactive visualization dashboard (Geneva Peace Week 2022)

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 24 October, 2022

Are we on track towards peace? This question is essential to planning, developing, and evaluating any peacebuilding project, but the answer is contingent on data availability. To this end, the Global Violent Deaths (GVD) database, developed and updated regularly by the Small Arms Survey since 2004, collects information on direct conflict deaths and intentional homicides, which is combined in a single violent deaths indicator.

The Calm Before the Storm: Global Violent Deaths Update 2019–2020

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 7 July, 2022

'Though difficult to fathom as war rages in Ukraine, the years preceding the Russian invasion actually saw a reduction in global lethal violence. According to the latest update of the Small Arms Survey's Global Violent Deaths (GVD) database, loss of life resulting from interpersonal violence decreased substantially between 2016 and 2020. This decline suggests that the world has been making progress towards Target 16.1 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), under which states committed to 'significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere' by 2030.

Small Arms Survey Podcast #45: Counting casualties: Operationalizing SDG 16.1.2 in Libya

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 12 May, 2021

In this episode of the Small Arms Survey podcast series, Small Arms Survey consultant Hana Salama—author of our February 2018 Briefing Paper Counting Casualties: Operationalizing SDG 16.1.2 in Libya—speaks about the challenges involved in measuring casualties in conflict settings.

Still Not There: Global Violent Deaths Scenarios, 2019–30

Submitted by Lionel Kosirnik on 26 March, 2021

The year 2018 was characterized by a decrease in lethal violence in several of the world’s hotspots, primarily due to a significant de-escalation of the armed conflicts in Iraq, Myanmar, South Sudan, and Syria. The homicide rate also decreased marginally due to population growth outpacing the nominal increase in killings between 2017 and 2018.

Counting Casualties: Operationalizing SDG Indicator 16.1.2 in Libya

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on 24 November, 2020

Although Libya's estimated rate of violent deaths is still far below those of Syria and several Central American nations, it remains significant, ranking eighth globally for 2016. This unenviable situation is symptomatic of the ongoing turmoil and instability facing the country since 2011.