The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence: June 15-21 2009 - Funding Opportunities!

[Tova Fuller]

Dear all,

The Global Week of Action Against Gun Violence will take place 15-21
June 2009. Please consider an activity in your country or region to
help highlight the human face of the suffering caused by small arms
violence. Some ideas offered by IPPNW and IANSA are offered below.

IANSA also has a small amount of funds (under $500 for each applicant)
available to support members' campaigning activities, printing and
translation of materials. The deadline for forms to be returned is 24
April 2009. IANSA will give priority to those events being coordinated
by NGOs working together to make a larger impact within their country.
For your application to be considered please make sure you fill in all
sections of the form as accurately as possible.

You may download a form at: http://www.ippnw-students.org/ISCASA/WoA%20Funding%20Application%20Form_eng.doc

Please send your completed form to bruce....@iansa.org

Here are some ideas specific to the medical community for activities
to educate/get press for the Global Week of Action 15-21 June 2009:

· Investigate if your medical school has any financial
investments in gun manufacturers. If so, hold a press conference to
call for divestment.

· Hold a “teach-in” on small arms violence, using the IPPNW
Aiming for Prevention Powerpoint, One Bullet Stories that are on
IPPNW’s web site. (contact mval...@ippnw.org for a copy of the PPT).
Or, use modules from the WHO TEACH-VIP curriculum which can be
downloaded from their web site at
http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/capacitybuilding/teach_vip/en/.

· Participate in IPPNW’s “Voices Against Violence” project
and help record videos of personal stories of violence (contact
mval...@ippnw.org for guidelines)

· Write an op-ed or letters to the editor to local newspapers
about the human suffering from gun violence in your country

· Organize as many doctors, nurses and other medical
professionals as possible to have a public event/press conference to
provide “testimony” about victims of violence they have treated in
their hospitals, and call for more violence prevention initiatives in
the community.

· Place a pair of shoes on the steps of your medical school,
or another public place for every person who has been killed or
injured by gun violence in the last year in your community. (You’ll
need to get permission to do this from the owner of the building and
possibly others – needs a little research)

· Faces/stories of violence exhibit - Collect photos/stories
from newspapers of shootings/other violence over the past year in your
area, paste on posters, and organize an educational exhibit at your
school, library or other venue – call the press to come publicize.

Send us your ideas!

Ideas from IANSA:

1. Strengthen Government participation at the UN Open Ended Working
Group (OEWG) on an ATT, 13-17 July 2009

Background
The second session of the OEWG on an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) is taking
place from 13-17 July at the UN in New York. All UN Member States are
invited to participate, but busy diplomats in New York have many
competing events in their schedules. It’s essential that this meeting
be well attended to show strong support for an ATT. To find out more
on the Arms Trade Treaty visit here:
www.iansa.org/un/att.htm

Actions
· Meet with government officials and ask them to ensure that
your government sends instructions to the Mission in New York to
attend the OEWG
· Parliamentarians could ask a question in Parliament
requesting that your government make sure it sends a representative to
the OEWG
· Arrange a meeting with the US embassy in your country, to
request that the US openly support a strong and effective ATT,
following the election of President Obama
· Campaign to highlight the importance of the OEWG,
stressing that the citizens of your country want the government to
take this issue seriously. This could be in the form of a petition,
postcard campaign, demonstration, etc
· Highlight the issue in the media, stressing the importance
of your country’s voice being heard in the UN at the OEWG

Outcomes
Your government attends the OEWG 13-17 July and expresses vocal
support for a comprehensive ATT incorporating the Golden Rules.

Please contact Bruce Millar for more information:
bruce....@iansa.org

+++
2. Disarming Domestic Violence

Join the campaign to get guns out of the hands of actual or potential
domestic violence abusers.

Background
The IANSA Women’s Network is launching an international campaign to
address one of the most serious, but least-known, aspects of violence
against women – the deaths, injuries and fear caused by guns in the
home. IANSA members have a key role to play, to gather data, and use
it to bring about change.

Actions
· Identify local women’s organisations and/or shelters
working on domestic violence and talk to them about the link with guns
in the home;

· Ask them to interview a sample of women to find out how
many are affected by a gun in the home. IANSA will provide you with a
questionnaire;

· Write to your local newspaper, or contact your radio
station and tell them about the campaign (IANSA will provide you with
a model press release).

Outcomes
Develop a more comprehensive overview of the problem of domestic
violence and guns around the world. This is the first step toward
securing better policies to protect women and children in their homes.

Please contact Sarah Masters, Women’s Network Coordinator, for more
information: sarah....@iansa.org

+++

3. Armed violence and development

Background
The UN Secretary-General has requested Member States to send him their
views on how to promote development by reducing and preventing armed
violence. The deadline for these submissions is 31 May. The
submissions will input to a report by the UN Secretary-General
published later this year.

Actions
· Contact your government officials and provide a copy of
the request from the Secretary-General, called a ‘note verbale’. It
can be found online at http://www.iansa.org/campaigns_events/index.htm
· Offer your assistance to the officials developing your
country’s submission, and ensure that it is sent to the national
Mission in New York before 31 May.
· After the submission is completed, invite your government
to launch it publicly during the Week of Action
· Include parliamentarians in this process – they can ask
questions in parliament following up the government submission

Outcomes
Your government raises awareness of the need for coordinated UN action
on this issue, increasing the importance and significance of the
report of the UN Secretary-General later this year.

Please contact Alun Howard for more information: alun....@iansa.org

+++

You can see a report of last years Week of Action here:
http://www.iansa.org/campaigns_events/WoA2008/index.htm