Defend International and Unge for Menneskerettigheder Denmark will host an event entitled: 2008 Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence: Effect of Guns on Women’s Lives. The event will take place in Copenhagen on 5 June 2008. Guest speaker is the Danish author Ms. Lillian Simonsen.
Defend International
& Unge for Menneskerettigheder Danmark
Are inviting you to an event:
When: 5 June 2008, on Danes Constitution day, @ 11 – 14
Where: Vesterbrogade 22, St. Th, 1620 Copenhagen W, Denmark
Celebrating: “Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence” 2 – 8 June 2008
Title: 2008 Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence: Effect of Guns on Women’s Lives
The Global Week of Action initiative calls upon activists to raise awareness on the issue of small arms proliferation globally and campaign for greater regulation of the arms trade. The week will be celebrated all around the world, and civil society activists are “thinking globally and acting locally”. While Defend International member organisations and DI Defenders are organising events in the Middle East and North Africa region, Defend International in Europe is holding an event in Copenhagen.
Guest speaker is the Danish author Ms. Lillian Simonsen. She will tell about her journey to Iraq where she met women affected by guns, armed violence and conflicts.
During the debate the participants will be given the chance to ask about how to eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. Defend International President Dr. Widad will be answering these questions.
- Free admission and open to everyone, both internal and external guests welcome.
Organised jointly by Defend International and Ms. Anja Svava Henriksen from Unge for Menneskerettigheder Denmark, further information can be obtained by contacting: media@defendinternational.org
More information about the Global Week of Action, 2-8 June 2008
Last year there were events in 65 countries, with campaigners calling for their government to put their citizen’s lives first.
The Week of Action is an opportunity to:
- Engage parliamentarians and government officials in support of national, regional and international policies to regulate the proliferation of small arms. For example, you could:
- Find out what the current laws are in your country and lobby for them to be strengthened.
- Provide questions that parliamentarians can ask during the Week of Action to discover useful information about the state of small arms control in your country. For example:
- How many firearms licenses were issued during 2007?
- How many firearm license applications were refused? What were the reasons?
- How many arms export licenses were issued last year, and for what value? How many import licenses?
- How many applications for arms transit permits were issued during 2007? (for arms transfer through your country’s territory)
- Request a meeting with political and government leaders and ask them to declare their official support for a strong and effective Arms Trade Treaty.
- Announce a public gun destruction for International Gun Destruction Day (9 July). Last year, 11 countries organised gun destructions to celebrate this day. Gundestruction takes a lot of planning and requires police or military support, but the Global Week of Action is a good opportunity for civil society and government partners to announce their plans for 9 July.
- Generate publicity and momentum for the UN Biennial Meeting of States (BMS), 14-18 July. For example:
- Push for your country to show it is serious about implementing the PoA by submitting a report every year.
- Volunteer to help the government to compile its report, by providing information on the activities of the civil society organisations working to stop small arms proliferation and misuse.
- Generate media coverage of the small arms problem and the campaign to address it. For example:
- Help journalists find data about the production, import, export and transit of small arms in and through your country, and about gun injuries and deaths in your country.
- Inform journalists about the importance of the Programme of Action and the ATT.