Phase One - 2009

IANSA women will develop a common approach (eg research and data collection) and develop a collaborative campaign strategy. IANSA will provide centralised support drawing on our partners such as the Washington-based Advocacy Project (AP). AP will recruit volunteers for key campaign members to help them produce and disseminate information in the same manner - a vital component of sustained advocacy.

Phase Two - 2010/11

IANSA women will produce a draft model law for national and international advocacy including at UN meetings such as the Commission on the Status of Women, and the 4th Biennial Meeting of States on Small Arms. We will also develop and publish a toolkit of good practice, recommendations and strategies in English, French and Spanish.

We aim to increase members' capacity to start the process of reviewing existing laws, and build stronger relationships with parliamentarians, civil servants, policy makers, lawyers, and domestic violence service-providers, and to develop their own materials and lobbying positions on the issue of gun violence prevention.

We anticipate that campaign members will become mentors for a new wave of groups as they join the campaign, and share their experiences, successes and recommendations.

Campaign Goals

The campaign will unfold at the national and international level, taking advantage of a series of special events dedicated to the fight against gun violence. It will set several clear goals and seek to serve IANSA members working on the issue:

Goal 1

Develop an international network of advocates for women’s rights, who are committed to producing social change and curbing armed domestic violence.

Goal 2

Help each member to take guns out of the hands of actual or potential abusers. This will require the passage of laws and/or regulations including:

• Consider an individual’s history of domestic violence when dealing with gun licence applications and renewals;
• Police should discreetly consult current and former spouses/partners of an individual's intention to acquire a firearm licence;
• Police should gain written consent from spouse or partner prior to granting a firearm licence;
• Serious consideration should be given to revoking permits and obtaining prohibition orders where there is a threat to safety;
• Improve the communication links among police, courts, prosecutors’ offices, and centers for social work/shelters, data recording, keeping and exchanging about cases of domestic armed violence and perpetrators;
• Contribute to developing comprehensive and holistic legislation for prevention of domestic violence and protection of victims;
• A checklist should be drawn up for use in the analysis of domestic violence and firearms laws and monitor the enforcement of these laws, where they exist;
• Spouses/partners should report to the authorities illegal possession of guns in or around the home, possessed by either their spouses/partners or even relatives or neighbours.

Goal 3

Support the advocacy of network members, and help them to work together, develop common strategies, strengthen their advocacy, and strengthen the capacity of the network and solidarity amongst the members, including the sharing of strategies and ‘best practice’ in policy development, media engagement, fundraising and campaign promotion.

Goal 4

Lobby at the international level to ensure that the governments affected by this campaign fulfill their international commitments to prevent violence against women; take full advantage of key events and meetings on the international calendar.