About the Network to Prevent Gun Violence in the Americas
In a recent study on global gun violence, it was noted that six countries account for half of these deaths, all are in the Americas. Our Network began with an initial geographic focus on the US, Mexico, and Central America. We have intentionally started with an initial geographic scope and expect to expand/evolve with time across the Americas.
We seek to expand awareness of the public health/humanitarian burden of gun violence thru hosting virtual meetings that pull in a diversity of essential leaders of civil society. Our Network’s educational events and publications are conducted and provided in both English and Spanish.
Network Purpose: Prevent gun violence in the Americas
We are focused on the movement/trafficking of small arms: handguns and rifles. We further our collective understanding of the regulated and unregulated movement of guns and ammunition across countries. We are focused primarily with the manufacturing of guns in the US that flow into Mexico and Central America, legally and illegally. We seek to describe the humanitarian and social effects of the flow of guns and ammunition to Mexico and Central America.
Our network is founded on four core principles:
1) trust, not control; 2) humility, not brand; 3) node, not hub, and 4) mission, not organization.
We advocate for policy discussions and implementation that can address the movement of small arms in the Americas with the goal of educating governmental leaders to implement regulations/policies. We are pathfinders that adhere to the Arms Trade Treaty, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and its goals 3, 5, 16, 17 related to gun trafficking. The Network is dedicated to creative political engagement and seeks to work with decision-makers to prevent gun violence. We seek progress on this vexing 21st Century problem that requires uncommon coordination and collaboration across divides.
We are dedicated to the following fundamental processes that clarify and describe our Network:
- Clarify our purpose
- Convene the right people
- Cultivate trust
- Coordinate actions
- Collaborate generously
We wish to convene the right people and organizations across multiple sectors, exploring the complexities and benefits of intersectionality. Our Network is dedicated to action and is intentionally pulling in diverse organizations that seek to align across disciplines and interests including public health, humanitarianism, arms trade, and civil society. We seek to include everyone impacted by the public health burden of gun violence.
The Network seeks to collaborate generously across all sectors and disciplines. We are dedicated to improve the mission and roles of each of the Network members. Affiliated organizations include:
Anahuac University Mexico
Center for American Progress
Consortium of Universities of Global Health
Forum on Arms Trade
Giffords Law Center
March for Our Lives
Medical College of Wisconsin Office of Global Health
Metropolitan Peace Institute, Inc
Newtown Action Alliance
Project to Stop US Arms to Mexico
Stimson Center
Our Network has a core team that has been meeting, planning and discussing for most of 2020. The Network is acting as a node of intersectionality, seeking to identify and coordinate work, and actions that are already happening, leveraging organizational resources, collaborating around common goals, avoiding duplication of efforts. The Network is dedicated to sustained, authentic relationships, seeking to intentionally cultivate trust.
We have positive intent, we frequently communicate, and we consistently seek opportunities to work with others in support of our shared goal: the Prevention of Gun Violence in the Americas.