The impact of arms transfers on human rights

Written by Faith Galgalo and Maria Samantha Orozco

This report is a Submission to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

For the comprehensive evaluation of the situation on practices of states regarding access to information on arms transfer, “Broken Chalk” has laid down seven points of focus on the questions presented for this call that focus on concrete examples carried out by countries of the mentioned regions.

I. The impact of arms transfers, including the diversion of arms and unregulated or illicit arms transfer on the enjoyment of Human Rights: Related to the implications of arms transfer and specific examples of its effects on Africa and Latin America.

II. Access to information: A key to preventing violations of human rights derived from licit or illicit arms transfer in the Global South

III. Laws on access to information, country example: Regulations in Guatemala related to arms transfer, restriction and availability of information

IV. State Proactive Disclosure Practices and the situation in which the tracing is available: Examples of a state with proactive disclosure of information related to arms regulation and analysis of its limitations.

V. Obligations related to access to information or transparency apply to private business entities, wholly or partially State-owned enterprises, including those carrying out arms transfers: The establishment of good practices by private entities and obligations related to arms transfer to minimise harmful effects on human rights.

VI. Right of access to information on arms transfers of parties to legal proceedings possible exceptions related to the admission of evidence: Examples of countries with limits on access to information regarding evidential purposes.

VII. Transboundary nature of arms transfers affects or can affect the enjoyment of the right of access to information in preventing, mitigating and responding to the negative impact on human rights relating to such transfers: The limits and scope of protection of access to information about arms transfer regarding the applicability of different regulations, and protection laws.

You can download the full report in this link.

11A_The_impact_of_arms_transfers_on_human_rights

---