16 mar Press release
Press release
Members of Parliaments Gather for Peace-building and Armed Violence Prevention in Southeast Asia
The Parliamentary Forum on Small Arms and Light Weapons (PFSALW) in collaboration with the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is hosting the regional webinar “Connecting the Dots: Enhancing implementation of the UN PoA and the Women, Peace & Security and 2030 Agendas – through increased parliamentary engagement and action in international processes” on March 16, 2021.
The webinar seeks to enhance the implementation of the United Nations Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects (UN PoA) and the 2030 Agenda in relation to the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) by strengthening parliamentary action through capacity-building, policy-shaping and awareness-raising. Parliamentarians, especially women parliamentarians, are targeted as vital actors given their legislative, oversight and awareness-raising roles.
The webinar has an Asian focus with key parliamentarians from all Member Parliaments of the AIPA, AIPA observer parliaments and key stakeholders from the ASEAN region. Parliamentary recommendations on actions will be identified as part of the preparation for the UN PoA Seventh Biennial Meeting of States (BMS 7) at the end of July 2021, as well as to prepare for a subsequent physical seminar in the region.
“Apart from causing injury and loss of life, armed violence has severe effects on sustainable development, good governance and contributes to the persistence of armed conflict. Combined with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, concerted efforts in Southeast Asia are vital to prevent SALW- related violence. Parliamentarians are crucial actors in tackling the uncontrolled proliferation of SALW, through their legislative, over-sight and awareness-raising functions” says Ms Karin Olofsson, Secretary General of PFSALW.
Following the success of the first seminar in 2018, Ms. Nguyen Tuong Van, the Secretary General of AIPA, says that she “hopes that this webinar will be an ideal place for the Member Parliaments of AIPA to come up with concrete action and solution in eliminating the illicit trade in the ASEAN region. Moreover, the participation from Observer Parliaments of AIPA will hopefully give a more in depth and fruitful discussion in identifying recommendations and actions on a broader level.”
