For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population resides in urban centres. I... more For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population resides in urban centres. It is also estimated that virtually all population growth over the next 25 to 30 years will occur in cities (UN-HABITAT, 2008a, p.9). As urban areas have grown, so has the problem of urban armed violence. While urban areas are not necessarily more violent or less safe than rural areas, their size concentrates victims of violence (OECD, 2011, p. 13; World Bank, 2011a, p. 17). programming, protection from violent crime, and victim assistance.
This Research Note is the second in a series of four studies seeking to measure illicit arms flow... more This Research Note is the second in a series of four studies seeking to measure illicit arms flows around the world and, in so doing, better understand the type of information necessary to meet SDG 16.4. The study finds that an evidence-based approach to armed violence monitoring would generate important information on the effectiveness of efforts to reduce illicit arms flows and levels of armed violence. Establishing such an approach would benefit Honduras and could set a useful example to other countries as well.
This chapter analyses changes in the distribution and intensity of lethal violence by comparing n... more This chapter analyses changes in the distribution and intensity of lethal violence by comparing newly gathered data for the period 2007–12 with data for the period 2004–09, which formed the basis of research presented in the 2011 edition of the Global Burden of Armed Violence (GBAV) (Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2011). Overall, global levels of lethal violence appear to be in decline; yet a closer look reveals that while most national homicide rates have been stable or decreasing over the long term, a few states have been experiencing volatile or increasing levels of violence.
This introductory chapter provides an overview of how and why development and security interact, ... more This introductory chapter provides an overview of how and why development and security interact, highlighting why this interaction matters in the context of debates about whether to include a goal for achieving peaceful and inclusive societies in the post-2015 global development framework. The chapter summarizes the state of play (up to late 2014) regarding the integration of such a goal into the post-2015 development agenda and provides an overview of efforts to develop specific goals, targets, and indicators dealing with security, safety, and armed violence. Regardless of the outcome of the post-2015 negotiations, such efforts will be relevant to whatever new development framework emerges.
This paper
presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violen... more This paper presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violence” indicator. The key research questions are the following: What are the extent and the distribution of lethal violence worldwide? Can data on trends and patterns of lethal violence inform prevention policies and programmes? The hypothesis is that the analysis of the database will confirm that the majority of lethal violence is related to non-conflict settings and that there is a correlation between levels of violence and the performance in the achievement of the MDG.
Chapter One (A Unified Approach to Armed Violence) shows high levels of gang violence in Guatemal... more Chapter One (A Unified Approach to Armed Violence) shows high levels of gang violence in Guatemala or Honduras, vigilante justice in postwar and fragile states such as Liberia or Timor- Leste, post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire or Kenya, and high levels of urban crime in cities such as Kingston or Rio de Janeiro amply demonstrate how the lines between armed conflict and criminal violence are increasingly blurred. In Iraq since 2003, for example, the targeting of non-combatants by insurgents, militias, and sectarian groups may seem chaotic or random at first glance, yet a closer look at underlying patterns of violence suggests that seemingly arbitrary or criminal violence may also serve political purposes in line with the goals of armed groups. In many places, non-conflict violence is linked to highly organized criminal activity, or to different forms of ‘political violence’, either targeting political opponents or government officials (such as mayors, teacher, police officers, or journalists), or seeking to influence and modify government policies through corruption and use of force. In these contexts, the label ‘homicide’—which implies ostensibly apolitical interpersonal and criminal violence—is slightly misleading.
"Femicide: A Global Problem, the latest Research Note from the Small Arms Survey, offers a concis... more "Femicide: A Global Problem, the latest Research Note from the Small Arms Survey, offers a concise examination of lethal forms of violence against women, drawing on the disaggregated data on femicides produced for the Global Burden of Armed Violence 2011, published by the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.
About 66,000 women and girls are violently killed every year, accounting for approximately 17 per cent of all victims of intentional homicides. In countries marked by high levels of lethal violence, women are more frequently attacked in the public sphere; in this context, femicides often take place in a general climate of indifference and impunity. "
The Liberia Armed Violence Assessment is an initiative administered by the Small Arms Survey, an ... more The Liberia Armed Violence Assessment is an initiative administered by the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project of the Graduate Institute of international and Development studies in Geneva. In collaboration with the Liberian Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), the Small Arms Survey administered a household survey in all 15 counties in 2010. The survey considered respondents’ perceptions of security and victimization, exposure to violence, behavioural responses to threats in communities, and an analysis of instruments of violence.
"Positioning itself critical toward the analysis of contemporary violence as non- or post-politic... more "Positioning itself critical toward the analysis of contemporary violence as non- or post-political, this Thesis finds that violence is a highly political issue in all its manifestations. Post-war El Salvador reveals a complex contemporary panorama of violence, where organized crime, common delinquency, gang violence
and death squads all contribute to the country's high levels of violence. A discourse analysis based on the method of discursive practices has been applied to state discourses on violence. This analysis has revealed the capacity of the state to elaborate a hegemonic truth, based on the culpability of gangs as the main cause of violence in El Salvador. This hegemonic truth only allows for particular responses: cracking down on gangs to restore law and order. However, this policy has failed to recognize the complex nature and structural factors contributing to continuing high levels of violence, especially in terms of homicides."
For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population resides in urban centres. I... more For the first time in history, the majority of the world’s population resides in urban centres. It is also estimated that virtually all population growth over the next 25 to 30 years will occur in cities (UN-HABITAT, 2008a, p.9). As urban areas have grown, so has the problem of urban armed violence. While urban areas are not necessarily more violent or less safe than rural areas, their size concentrates victims of violence (OECD, 2011, p. 13; World Bank, 2011a, p. 17). programming, protection from violent crime, and victim assistance.
This Research Note is the second in a series of four studies seeking to measure illicit arms flow... more This Research Note is the second in a series of four studies seeking to measure illicit arms flows around the world and, in so doing, better understand the type of information necessary to meet SDG 16.4. The study finds that an evidence-based approach to armed violence monitoring would generate important information on the effectiveness of efforts to reduce illicit arms flows and levels of armed violence. Establishing such an approach would benefit Honduras and could set a useful example to other countries as well.
This chapter analyses changes in the distribution and intensity of lethal violence by comparing n... more This chapter analyses changes in the distribution and intensity of lethal violence by comparing newly gathered data for the period 2007–12 with data for the period 2004–09, which formed the basis of research presented in the 2011 edition of the Global Burden of Armed Violence (GBAV) (Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2011). Overall, global levels of lethal violence appear to be in decline; yet a closer look reveals that while most national homicide rates have been stable or decreasing over the long term, a few states have been experiencing volatile or increasing levels of violence.
This introductory chapter provides an overview of how and why development and security interact, ... more This introductory chapter provides an overview of how and why development and security interact, highlighting why this interaction matters in the context of debates about whether to include a goal for achieving peaceful and inclusive societies in the post-2015 global development framework. The chapter summarizes the state of play (up to late 2014) regarding the integration of such a goal into the post-2015 development agenda and provides an overview of efforts to develop specific goals, targets, and indicators dealing with security, safety, and armed violence. Regardless of the outcome of the post-2015 negotiations, such efforts will be relevant to whatever new development framework emerges.
This paper
presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violen... more This paper presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violence” indicator. The key research questions are the following: What are the extent and the distribution of lethal violence worldwide? Can data on trends and patterns of lethal violence inform prevention policies and programmes? The hypothesis is that the analysis of the database will confirm that the majority of lethal violence is related to non-conflict settings and that there is a correlation between levels of violence and the performance in the achievement of the MDG.
Chapter One (A Unified Approach to Armed Violence) shows high levels of gang violence in Guatemal... more Chapter One (A Unified Approach to Armed Violence) shows high levels of gang violence in Guatemala or Honduras, vigilante justice in postwar and fragile states such as Liberia or Timor- Leste, post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire or Kenya, and high levels of urban crime in cities such as Kingston or Rio de Janeiro amply demonstrate how the lines between armed conflict and criminal violence are increasingly blurred. In Iraq since 2003, for example, the targeting of non-combatants by insurgents, militias, and sectarian groups may seem chaotic or random at first glance, yet a closer look at underlying patterns of violence suggests that seemingly arbitrary or criminal violence may also serve political purposes in line with the goals of armed groups. In many places, non-conflict violence is linked to highly organized criminal activity, or to different forms of ‘political violence’, either targeting political opponents or government officials (such as mayors, teacher, police officers, or journalists), or seeking to influence and modify government policies through corruption and use of force. In these contexts, the label ‘homicide’—which implies ostensibly apolitical interpersonal and criminal violence—is slightly misleading.
"Femicide: A Global Problem, the latest Research Note from the Small Arms Survey, offers a concis... more "Femicide: A Global Problem, the latest Research Note from the Small Arms Survey, offers a concise examination of lethal forms of violence against women, drawing on the disaggregated data on femicides produced for the Global Burden of Armed Violence 2011, published by the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.
About 66,000 women and girls are violently killed every year, accounting for approximately 17 per cent of all victims of intentional homicides. In countries marked by high levels of lethal violence, women are more frequently attacked in the public sphere; in this context, femicides often take place in a general climate of indifference and impunity. "
The Liberia Armed Violence Assessment is an initiative administered by the Small Arms Survey, an ... more The Liberia Armed Violence Assessment is an initiative administered by the Small Arms Survey, an independent research project of the Graduate Institute of international and Development studies in Geneva. In collaboration with the Liberian Institute for Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), the Small Arms Survey administered a household survey in all 15 counties in 2010. The survey considered respondents’ perceptions of security and victimization, exposure to violence, behavioural responses to threats in communities, and an analysis of instruments of violence.
"Positioning itself critical toward the analysis of contemporary violence as non- or post-politic... more "Positioning itself critical toward the analysis of contemporary violence as non- or post-political, this Thesis finds that violence is a highly political issue in all its manifestations. Post-war El Salvador reveals a complex contemporary panorama of violence, where organized crime, common delinquency, gang violence
and death squads all contribute to the country's high levels of violence. A discourse analysis based on the method of discursive practices has been applied to state discourses on violence. This analysis has revealed the capacity of the state to elaborate a hegemonic truth, based on the culpability of gangs as the main cause of violence in El Salvador. This hegemonic truth only allows for particular responses: cracking down on gangs to restore law and order. However, this policy has failed to recognize the complex nature and structural factors contributing to continuing high levels of violence, especially in terms of homicides."
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Papers by Matthias Nowak
new development framework emerges.
presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violence” indicator. The key
research questions are the following: What are the extent and the distribution of lethal violence worldwide? Can
data on trends and patterns of lethal violence inform prevention policies and programmes? The hypothesis is that
the analysis of the database will confirm that the majority of lethal violence is related to non-conflict settings and
that there is a correlation between levels of violence and the performance in the achievement of the MDG.
Leste, post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire or Kenya, and high levels of urban crime in cities such as Kingston or Rio de Janeiro amply demonstrate how the lines between armed conflict
and criminal violence are increasingly blurred. In Iraq since 2003, for example, the targeting of non-combatants by insurgents, militias, and sectarian groups may seem chaotic or random at first glance, yet a closer look at underlying patterns of violence suggests that seemingly arbitrary or criminal violence may also serve political purposes in line with the goals of armed groups. In many places, non-conflict violence is linked to highly organized criminal activity, or to different forms of ‘political violence’, either targeting political opponents or government officials (such as mayors, teacher, police officers, or journalists), or seeking to influence and modify government policies through corruption and use of force. In these contexts, the label ‘homicide’—which implies ostensibly apolitical interpersonal and criminal violence—is slightly misleading.
About 66,000 women and girls are violently killed every year, accounting for approximately 17 per cent of all victims of intentional homicides. In countries marked by high levels of lethal violence, women are more frequently attacked in the public sphere; in this context, femicides often take place in a general climate of indifference and impunity. "
and death squads all contribute to the country's high levels of violence. A discourse analysis based on the method of discursive practices has been applied to state discourses on violence. This analysis has revealed the capacity of the state to elaborate a hegemonic truth, based on the culpability of gangs as the main cause of violence in El Salvador. This hegemonic truth only allows for particular responses: cracking down on gangs to restore law and order. However, this policy has failed to recognize the complex nature and structural factors contributing to continuing high levels of violence, especially in terms of homicides."
new development framework emerges.
presents new and unpublished global data and innovative analysis of the “lethal violence” indicator. The key
research questions are the following: What are the extent and the distribution of lethal violence worldwide? Can
data on trends and patterns of lethal violence inform prevention policies and programmes? The hypothesis is that
the analysis of the database will confirm that the majority of lethal violence is related to non-conflict settings and
that there is a correlation between levels of violence and the performance in the achievement of the MDG.
Leste, post-election violence in Côte d’Ivoire or Kenya, and high levels of urban crime in cities such as Kingston or Rio de Janeiro amply demonstrate how the lines between armed conflict
and criminal violence are increasingly blurred. In Iraq since 2003, for example, the targeting of non-combatants by insurgents, militias, and sectarian groups may seem chaotic or random at first glance, yet a closer look at underlying patterns of violence suggests that seemingly arbitrary or criminal violence may also serve political purposes in line with the goals of armed groups. In many places, non-conflict violence is linked to highly organized criminal activity, or to different forms of ‘political violence’, either targeting political opponents or government officials (such as mayors, teacher, police officers, or journalists), or seeking to influence and modify government policies through corruption and use of force. In these contexts, the label ‘homicide’—which implies ostensibly apolitical interpersonal and criminal violence—is slightly misleading.
About 66,000 women and girls are violently killed every year, accounting for approximately 17 per cent of all victims of intentional homicides. In countries marked by high levels of lethal violence, women are more frequently attacked in the public sphere; in this context, femicides often take place in a general climate of indifference and impunity. "
and death squads all contribute to the country's high levels of violence. A discourse analysis based on the method of discursive practices has been applied to state discourses on violence. This analysis has revealed the capacity of the state to elaborate a hegemonic truth, based on the culpability of gangs as the main cause of violence in El Salvador. This hegemonic truth only allows for particular responses: cracking down on gangs to restore law and order. However, this policy has failed to recognize the complex nature and structural factors contributing to continuing high levels of violence, especially in terms of homicides."