The volatile political situation in Nepal was the largest obstacle to business activities in 2012, according to the majority of businesses surveyed as part of a study by the Small Arms Survey’s Nepal Armed Violence Assessment (NAVA) project. Direct losses from crime are relatively small compared to the indirect costs of instability.
Geospatial technologies—ranging from GPS hardware to GIS software—are being used to fight crime in Jamaica. Analysts can use these tools to overlay various types of data—such as information about socio-economic conditions or infrastructure—on maps showing the incidence of crime, thereby shedding light on the dynamics at work. An improved understanding can lead to better crime-fighting policies and activities.
Although many armed groups possess guided weapons, such as man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) and anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs), few of them possess sophisticated vehicle-mounted systems—like the SA-11—capable of targeting airliners at cruising altitudes.
Since 1998 at least 59 non-state armed groups from 37 countries are known to have possessed guided light weapons systems, posing a significant international security threat (2013).
The small arms and light weapons held by non-state armed groups—such as opposition and insurgent movements, pro-government militias, and community-based vigilante groups—pose multiple threats.
In the wake of a decade-long civil war that claimed more than 13,000 lives, Nepal’s uneasy peace has been plagued by uncertainties, tied to the volatile political environment, the gridlocks over the drafting of the new constitution, and the reported proliferation of criminal activities. This rapid succession of changes has raised new questions about the overall security situation in the country.
Violence against women, and the reluctance of authorities to deal with it, present a serious challenge to Indian society, law enforcement, and judicial affairs. Numerous incidents involving group rapes and rape and murder—such as the Nirbhaya case in New Delhi in 2012—have captured national and international attention. While domestic violence and public intimidation are familiar to women across India, statistics remain scarce and unreliable.
The Missing Middle: Examining the Armed Group Phenomenon in Nepal analyses the phenomenon of armed groups in Nepal. It examines their history, their initial proliferation following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), their development and overlap with other societal groups, the reasons behind their recent decline, and their relationship to the state.
Also available in NEPALI.
In November 2004 the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) began a nationwide programme of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR). Initially it was estimated that 330,000 combatants from ten armed groups would be demobilized and then either returned to civilian life or reintegrated into a reformed national army. However, in early 2008 a further 22 armed groups signed peace agreements and were also incorporated under the DRC government’s National Plan for DDR.
Working Paper No. 15
Policing the Periphery: Opportunities and Challenges for Kenya Police Reserve describes the history and context of the volunteer auxiliary police force that offers protection in Kenya's more remote areas. While police reservists often provide valuable services in insecure regions where regular policing is scarce, in many cases a lack of adequate training, accountability, and resources are cause for concern.
By Robert Muggah, co-published with Oxfam.