Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development
Encyclopedia
The Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development highlights the role that states and civil society
must play in preventing and reducing violence
associated with war
, crime
, and social unrest. The Declaration was adopted on 7 June 2006 and is now endorsed by over 100 states.
The Geneva Declaration commits signatories to:
Understanding that the fight against the global scourge of armed violence and the prospects for sustainable development are closely linked, the signatories recognize that armed violence constitutes a major obstacle to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. They agree to strengthen their efforts to integrate armed violence reduction
and conflict prevention programs into national, regional, and multilateral development frameworks and strategies.
The approach is based on three pillars:
Core group members:
State signatories:
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
must play in preventing and reducing violence
Violence
Violence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
associated with war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
, crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
, and social unrest. The Declaration was adopted on 7 June 2006 and is now endorsed by over 100 states.
The Geneva Declaration commits signatories to:
- Support initiatives to measure the human, social and economic costs of armed violence;
- Undertake assessments to understand and respond to risks and vulnerabilities;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of armed violence prevention and reduction programs around the world; and
- To disseminate lessons and best practices.
Understanding that the fight against the global scourge of armed violence and the prospects for sustainable development are closely linked, the signatories recognize that armed violence constitutes a major obstacle to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. They agree to strengthen their efforts to integrate armed violence reduction
Armed violence reduction
The concept of armed violence reduction has gained significant in importance after the 2006 Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. According to OECD, more than 740,000 people die each year as a result of the violence associated with armed conflicts and large- and small-scale...
and conflict prevention programs into national, regional, and multilateral development frameworks and strategies.
The approach is based on three pillars:
- Advocacy: dissemination and coordination initiatives for implementing the Geneva Declaration
- Measurability: country based armed violence mapping and monitoring to identify entry-points and opportunities for interventions
- Programming: practical programming on armed violence prevention and reduction
Core group members:
- Brazil
- Finland
- Guatemala
- Indonesia
- Kenya
- Morocco
- The Netherlands
- Norway
- The Philippines
- Spain
- Switzerland (coordinating country)
- Thailand
- United Kingdom
State signatories:
- Afghanistan (2006)
- Albania (2008)
- Angola (2007)
- Argentina (2007)
- Australia (2006)
- Austria (2006)
- Bangladesh (2008)
- Benin (2007)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina (2006)
- Brazil (2006)
- Brunei (2008)
- Bulgaria (2006)
- Burkina Faso (2007)
- Burundi (2007)
- Canada (2006)
- Cameroon (2007)
- Chile (2006)
- Colombia (2008)
- Congo, Democratic Republic of the (2007)
- Costa Rica (2006)
- Côte d'Ivoire (2007)
- Croatia (2008)
- Cyprus (2009)
- Denmark (2008)
- Dominican Republic (2007)
- Ecuador (2007)
- El Salvador (2006)
- Ethiopia (2007)
- Fiji (2008)
- Finland (2006)
- France (2006)
- Georgia (2008)
- Germany (2006)
- Ghana (2006)
- Greece (2006)
- Guatemala (2006)
- Guyana (2008)
- Holy See (2006)
- Honduras (2006)
- Hungary (2006)
- Iceland (2007)
- Indonesia (2006)
- Ireland (2006)
- Italy (2007)
- Jamaica (2006)
- Japan (2006)
- Jordan (2006)
- Kazakhstan (2008)
- Kenya (2006)
- Korea, North (2008)
- Korea, South (2006)
- Kyrgyzstan (2008)
- Lebanon (2006)
- Lesotho (2007)
- Liberia (2006)
- Libya (2007)
- Liechtenstein (2008)
- Lithuania (2009)
- Luxembourg (2009)
- Macedonia, Republic of (2009)
- Madagascar (2007)
- Malawi (2007)
- Malaysia (2008)
- Mali (2006)
- Mauritius (2007)
- Mexico (2006)
- Mongolia (2008)
- Montenegro (2008)
- Morocco (2006)
- Mozambique (2006)
- Nauru (2008)
- Nepal (2008)
- Netherlands (2006)
- New Zealand (2006)
- Nicaragua (2009)
- Niger (2007)
- Nigeria (2006)
- Norway (2006)
- Palau (2008)
- Panama (2007)
- Papua New Guinea (2006)
- Peru (2007)
- Philippines (2008)
- Portugal (2006)
- Qatar (2006)
- Romania (2008)
- Rwanda (2007)
- Samoa (2008)
- Senegal (2006)
- Serbia (2008)
- Sierra Leone (2006)
- Slovakia (2008)
- Slovenia (2006)
- Solomon Islands (2008)
- South Africa (2006)
- Spain (2007)
- Sudan (2007)
- Sweden (2006)
- Switzerland (2006)
- Tajikistan (2008)
- Thailand (2006)
- Timor-Leste (2006)
- Uganda (2007)
- United Kingdom (2006)
- Uzbekistan (2008)
- Vanuatu (2008)
- Zambia (2007)
- Zimbabwe (2007)
External links
- http://www.genevadeclaration.org
- The Global Burden of Armed Violence
- Measuring and Monitoring Armed Violence
- UN Millennium Development Goals