Silence the guns: 2019 global week of action against armed violence

On the occasion of the Global week of action against armed violence which holds from June 02 till June 09 2019, The Cameroon Action Network on Small Arms (CANSA) which counts SeP as one of its founding members and presently vice-president of the network joined the global civil society coalition to advocate for an end to the illicit trade and the misuse of small arms and light weapons around the world. The team of this year’s campaign is “Rise up for humanity: Control the guns”

Amongst the activities organized this year, a press conference that held on June 06 2018 at the SeP conference hall. The press and media were identified on topics such as the implementation of the Kinshasa convention on Small Arms and Ligth Weapons in Central Africa, civil society contribution in the implementation of UN resolution 1325, the contribution of the civil society in the implementation of the Kinshasa convention and the contribution of parliament in improving legislation on the fight against the illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons.

Cameroon has ratified some of the International instruments regulating arms : The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) ratified in June 2018 and the Kinshasa convention ratified in 2015. Despite the efforts being made by the government in the implementation of these treaties, the proliferation of these weapons is on the rise as a result of the armed conflicts in the North and South West regions, the Boko Haram incursions in the Far North and civil wars in some neighbouring countries.

CANSA made a declaration during the conference to denounce violence, especially against women, girls and children as well as the armed violence that prevails in the North West, the South West, Far North, Adamawa and East regions of Cameroon and reaffirms its willingness to support the government in the implementation of the Kinshasa convention and the ATT, which if effectively implemented, will contribute in reducing violence.