Pictorial - The silencing the Guns' campaign launch

National Focal Point on small arms and light weapons (NFP/SALW) Message: Towards peaceful environments free of Armed violence

Our vision

A safe and peaceful society free from armed violence.

Our mission

To coordinate efforts to prevent, combat and eradicate the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, through comprehensive, integrated and coordinated approaches.

Functions of the National Focal Point

1.     At national level

•    Implement the Nairobi declaration, Nairobi protocol and other protocols, programs of action and declarations pertaining to small arms and light weapons

•     Develop, implement, resource and monitor the national action plan

•     Coordinate implementation and operational activities with the regional task forces

•   Coordinate activities related to small arms and light weapons with all stake holders to ensure compatibility with the national objectives.

•     Coordinate and interact with civil society.

•     Conduct and facilitate research on issues pertaining small arms and light weapons in all its aspects.

•     Facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information.

•     Identify and apply lessons learnt aimed at developing best practices.

•    Build and maintain the capacity of all stakeholders to ensure effective and sustainable action to deal with the SALW problem in all its aspects.

2.     At regional/ international level

•    Coordinate the implementation of all protocols, programmes of action and declarations pertaining to small arms and light weapons

•    Coordinate the implementation of Nairobi Declaration and the Nairobi protocol with the Nairobi secretariat and other national focal points in the great lakes region and horn of Africa

•   Coordinate activities related to small arms and light weapons with sub- regional, region and international organizations to ensure compatibility with national objectives

•     Facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information

NFP IMPLEMENTS THREE PROGRAMS:

1.     Small Arms ; this covers awareness programs, gun marking activities, destruction of guns, and capacity building of officers and stakeholders.

2.     Conflict Early Warning and Early Response (CEWERU) - This originally was in the karamoja region it has so far been expanded geographically to include Albertine region

3.      Legal and legislative - This covers dissemination of the National Policy on Firearms and incidental matters.

Conflict Early Warning and Early Response (CEWERU)

Established in 2003 under the auspices of the Conflict Early Warning mechanism of IGAD with tasks to collect, process and communicate early warning information to appropriate authorities for effective response to emerging or existing pastoral conflicts. CEWERU has since been operating in the Karamoja cluster of Uganda and has undertaken a number of peace initiatives in accordance with the CEWERU Strategic Plan and CEWERU Operational Guidelines.

•     Established and capacitated District Peace Committees and Sub county Peace Committees in the six districts of the Karamoja cluster for conflict prevention and peace building. These committees have been critical in cross border issues and conflicts, for example the peace committees celebrated the Lokiriama Peace Accord which mitigated the conflict between the Matheniko of Uganda and the Turkana of Kenya.

•     CEWERU has supported many cross border peace dialogue meetings eg the JIE/Dodoth of Uganda versus the Turkana over grazing rights in Kaabong and Kotido with the objective of normalizing tensions between them and sharing of common resources.

•    Funded a cross border meeting between the Bukwo District Administration and the West Pokot of Kenya over boundary marks and rising insecurity.

•    Established peace clubs in six schools in the different districts of Karamoja for conflict prevention and peace building, exposure and networking among the youth for peaceful co-existence.

•   In 2011, CEWERU Uganda made and exchange visit to CEWERU Kenya under PACT II, shared information and experiences on conflict management and peace processes.

•    CEWERU has carried out community sensitization in Karamoja which has changed perceptions on conflicts and improved on peaceful co existence both within the clans and across borders.

•   CEWERU has also been instrumental in the formulation and existence of peace dividends in Karamoja

•     Is in the process of establishing a situation room to manage and process early warning information for effective early response. Already appropriate equipment has been secured through  CEWERU

CEWERU is strategically expanding its area of coverage, first to cover areas bordering with Karamoja and South Sudan. It has also expanded thematically to include other conflict areas like land, natural resources, environment, uneven distribution of resources etc.

CEWERU is also actively engaged in the processes of developing a National Policy on Conflict Resolution and Peace Building and developed an issues paper on conflict.

Contacts

National Focal Point: +256-414-25291