MAG's project 'Contributing to Reduced Weapons Proliferation and Promoting Peaceful Societies in the Sahel'
Under the project 'Contributing to Reduced Weapons Proliferation and Promoting Peaceful Societies in the Sahel', MAG worked in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, implementing the following activities: weapon marking and gender mainstreaming training activities (Mali), organising a first PSSM workshop incorporating innovative gender dimension (Mali), destruction of SALW and SAA and SALW marking (Burkina Faso). In Niger, MAG is undertaking preparatory work for a regional workshop, due to take place in June 2022, and identifying personnel that take part in SALW training. MAG also engaged in preparatory research on reducing the environmental impact of SAA destruction in Mali.
Technical assistance and training to improve the ability to register state-held weapons by national security forces were provided by MAG in Burkina Faso and Mali. MAG also supported the organisation of meetings and a regional workshop involving national authorities of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, for the exchange of best practices and coordination.
MAG also supported gender mainstreaming in arms control activities in the three countries, including designing and providing training activities on concepts related to gender and how these relates to SALW and the legislation to combat SALW proliferation, the facilitation of partnerships involving authorities of the three countries and other specialised INGOs, the development of a training module on women in conflict and peacebuilding (Burkina Faso), and organisation of public events involving national and local authorities and local communities. Furthermore, MAG identified and train Gender Champions to promote women’s inclusion in SALW control and counter proliferation efforts in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali. The identification and training of new Gender Champions is still on/going.
The project 'Contributing to Reduced Weapons Proliferation and Promoting Peaceful Societies in the Sahel', funded by Canada and implemented by MAG, aims to address the proliferation of small arms, light weapons and ammunition in the Sahel region that fuels armed violence, which in turn creates further demand for Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). This project proposes a two-faceted approach that complements previous and ongoing arms management activities funded by the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs) and other donors to address this complex problem. Firstly, this approach mitigates the risk of diversion of state-held weapons and ammunition in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Secondly, it addresses the impact of SALW on communities in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger by increasing knowledge of safe behaviour related to the threats of improvised landmines and explosive ordnance and identifying alternative sources of revenue for producers of handmade weapons. Mines Advisory Group works to improve stakeholders' abilities to include gender considerations and gender-sensitive initiatives in ammunition and weapons management activities. It seeks to understand SALW impact on communities through a gendered lens.
