Fighting illicit small arms and ammunition

Small arms and light weapons are recognized to cause the majority of deaths in conflicts and non-combat situations. The OSCE area comprises many major producers of such weapons and the Organization takes the issue of illicit arms proliferation very seriously. The participating States have adopted a number of key documents to regulate the production, transfer, storage, collection, and destruction of such weapons, and to control their export. The FSC is instrumental in helping states implement these documents. Upon request, it provides assistance with collection and destruction of small arms and light weapons and conventional ammunition, helps improve legislation to effectively control small arms and assists in improving stockpile management. It also promotes information exchange on small arms and light weapons; conventional arms transfers; and anti-personnel landmines.