Small Arms: A Growing Health Crisis

In recent armed conflicts, small arms, light weapons, and firearms^* have killed an estimated 300,000 people per year, and were the only weapons used in all but three of 49 major conflicts fought between 1990 and 1998. They have claimed approximately 200,000 additional lives per year in non-combat related homicide, suicide, and accidental injury. By their design - small, portable, rugged, inexpensive, and deadly - small arms have evaded detection and wrought extreme destruction to health and development around the world.

* The terms "small arm," "light weapon," and "firearm" are used here interchangeably, and defined as any weapon of military or civilian origin that is portable and usable by one to three people. This includes assault rifles, machine guns, mortars, and rocket propelled grenades, as well as handguns, pistols, and other firearms.

Introduction

The conference "Aiming for Prevention" seeks to clarify understanding of the health consequences of small arms, inspire wider involvement in their prevention, and advocate programs and policy measures that are based on sound public health research and evaluation.

Participants from various backgrounds will include physicians and health workers, epidemiologists, medical journalists, human rights activists, humanitarian workers, policy-makers, disarmament activists and concerned citizens.

Conference Objectives and Themes

• Research
  Improve the understanding of the health consequences of small arms
  Compare research methods and data sources
  Create an agenda for future research
• Analysis
  Explore factors that increase the risk of gun violence
  Examine the link between availability of arms and levels of violence
  Explore the relation between human rights, human security, and disarmament
• Policy
  Review existing policies and measures pertaining to small arms
  Discuss methods for linking medical evidence with policy creation
  Create strategies for future advocacy
• Action
  Hear from innovative campaigners and project leaders
  Build new ideas and connections in working groups
  Announce a concerted "Medical Call to Action"

For more information on IPPNW's small arms conference and campaign, contact Brian Rawson, Program Coordinator, at IPPNW 727 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139. Tel: 1-617-868-5050 ext. 208; Fax: 1-617-868-2560; E-mail: brawson@ippnw.org

Congress Structure

The three congress days, September 28-30, 2001, will consist of a number of plenary, concurrent and workshop sessions. Working groups will focus on specific topics, aiming to formulate agendas for research, for strategic action, and for education.

Country reports
Reports are expected from many countries on their current state of small arms availability and control as well as the role of small arms in suicide, accidents, crime and insurgence. Some reports may focus on specific topics of special interest to a country or area. We expect that the collected material could be published in a suitable form. If you would like to compile a report for your country, please contact Brian Rawson at Tel +617-868-5050 x208.

Posters and information stands
Participants are invited to present studies they have done or activities being carried out as posters or materials on information stands at the conference site. However, preregistration for this type of space is required (see Registration form).

Parties
Note that there will be plenty of time for informal discussion and just meeting each other during the evenings. Also, to kick the congress off to a good start, there will be a get-together party on the preceding night, Thursday Sept.27 at 20.00. - everybody is welcome!!!

Draft Program

Thursday, September 27

20.00: Get together reception

Friday, September 28

Investigating the Health Consequences of Small Arms

8.30: Registration and set-up of information stands and posters

9.30: Opening plenary
Introduction: Ilkka Taipale, Member of Parliament, Finland, and Vice-President of PSR-Finland
Welcome: Erkki Tuomioja, Foreign Minister, Finland
Graca Machel (invited), Children and armed conflict
Eugenie Chazov, Cardiologist, co-founder of IPPNW, Medical science and disarmament
Michael Klare, Author and Professor, Hampshire College, USA, The small arm and its penetration into civil society.

10.30: Break

11.00: Plenary: Magnitude and consequences, existing knowledge
Chair: Wendy Cukier, SAFER-Net
Etienne Krug, Director, Department of Violence and Injury Prevention, WorldHealth Organization Overview of direct and indirect health consequencesof small arms.
Jouko Lönnqvist, Suicide and accident, the case of Finland.
Owens Wiwa, African Environment and Human Development Agency (AFRIDA) The impact of gun violence in Nigeria.

12.00: Lunch

13.30: Plenary: Data sources and tools for research.
Chair: Richard Garfield, Columbia University
David Meddings, Epidemiologist, International Committee of the Red Cross, Potential and limitations of field data: Experience of the ICRC
Stephanie Burrows, UNISA Institute for Social and Health Sciences, South Africa, National Injury Mortality Surveillance System
Steve Hargarten, Firearms Injury Center, United States, Model Firearm Injury Reporting System

14.30: Coffee break

15.00: Discussion groups: Country reports
Group 1: Europe, Asia and Asia Pacific
Group 2: Africa and the Middle East
Group 3: The Americas

16.30-17.30: Working groups

20.00 Reception

Saturday, September 29

Prevention: Analysis, Policies, and Projects

9.00: Summary of previous day's sessions and working groups

9.30: Plenary panel discussion. Risk factors: supply of arms and demand for arms
Chair: Jennifer Leaning, Francois Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights, Harvard University School of Public Health

Exploring the link between arms availability and levels of violence. What variables strengthen or weaken the link?
Presenter: Wendy Cukier, SAFER-Net
Respondents: Antonio Jarquin, MEDIPAZ, Nicaragua
Kathi Austin, Arms and Conflict Program, Fund For Peace, USA
Alfred McAlister, Professor of Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas

Exploring the relationship between human security, demand for arms, and disarmament
Presenter: Kiflemariam Gebre-Wold (invited), SALIGAD Project, Bonn International Center for Conversion
Respondents: David Meddings, Epidemiologist, International Committee of the Red Cross
Sharif Kafi, Bangladesh Development Partnership Centre

10.30: Coffee break

11.00: Panel and discussion: Role of the Medical Press
Chair: John Loretz, Program Director, IPPNW
Phil Fontanarosa, Deputy Executive Editor, Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)
Ana Marusic, Editor, Croatian Medical Journal; Incoming President, World Association of Medical Editors (WAME)
David Rush, Editor in Chief, Medicine and Global Survival, IPPNW

12.00: Lunch

13.30: Plenary. Prevention: Approaches to controlling availability
Chair: Joao Honwana, Chief, Conventional Arms Branch, Department of Disarmament Affairs, United Nations
Lora Lumpe, Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers (NISAT), and Amnesty International USA
Greg Puley, Arias Foundation, Costa Rica, Framework Convention on International Arms Transfers

14.30: Break

15.00: Plenary, Linking medical evidence with policy creation
Chair: Ian Maddocks, Medical Association for the Prevention of War, Australia, IPPNW
Bernard Lown, Cardiologist, co-founder of IPPNW Medicine and disarmament
Rubem Cesar Fernandez (invited), Viva Rio, Brazil Addressing supply and demand from a public health standpoint
Robin Coupland (invited), Surgeon, International Committee of the Red Cross, Health and International Humanitarian Law

16.00: Break

16.30 - 17.30: Working Groups

20.00: Equinox party

Sunday, September 30

Call To Action

9.00: Plenary: Conclusions

10.00: Break

10.30: Prevention: Medical and Humanitarian Action
Chair: Cate Buchanan, Henry Dunant Center for Humanitarian Dialogue
Olive Kobusingye, Director, Injury Control Center, Uganda. Secretary General, Injury Prevention Initiative for Africa.
Reginald Moreels, Special Representative of the Belgian Government for Humanitarian Concerns
Robert Scharf, (invited) Emergency Response Division, United Nations Development Program

11.30: Coffee break

12.00: A Medical Call to Action
Chair: Vappu Taipale, former Minister of Health, Finland, PSR-Finland
Aiming for Prevention: an agenda for research, education, and action
International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA)
Michael Christ, Executive Director, IPPNW

13.00: Adjourn conference

General Information

Venue
The Congress venue is Helsinki, the capital of Finland, often called the Daughter of the Baltic Sea. Founded in 1550, it shares a long history with neighbouring Sweden and Russia. With its half a million inhabitants Helsinki is an exquisite mixture of old and new architecture.

Travelling to Finland
Finland is easily accessible from all over the world. There are international frequent nonstop flights to Helsinki from several European cities as well as from the USA, Canada and Japan. There are also daily ferries to Helsinki from Sweden and Estonia.

Visa and Passport
A valid passport is required. A visa is not required for citizens of many European countries. Please check the regulations with your travel agent. In many countries any EU country embassy will be able to issue a visa to Finland. More information here.

Weather in Finland
The average day temperature in September is °C 14 / °F 57 and in October °C 9 / °F 48.

Currency
The Finnish currency unit is the markka (Finnish markka, FIM) divided into 100 penni. All major credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and most shops. One e is about 5,9 FIM, One $ is about 6,5 FIM.

Language
The language of the congress is English.

• Get Together Party, September 27.
• Reception, September 28.
• Equinox Party, September 29.

Post-congress Tour
Please indicate your interest on the registration form and further particulars/information will be sent.

Please contact the conference organizers for complete information about registration, accommodations, and post-conference tours. A registration form can also be faxed upon request. Contact:

Taikalyhty Ltd. Suvilahdenkatu 10 A
00580 HELSINKI, Finland
phone + 358 9 3487 0013
fax +358 9 3487 0021
e-mail: taikalyhty@taikalyhty.fi

Registration Fees
Participant -- US $ 250 / 1600 FIM
Participant, student -- US $ 100 / 650 FIM

Payment
All payments should be made in FIM (Finnmarks).

Contact points

International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW)
Brian Rawson, Program Coordinator
727 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139
tel: +617-868-5050 x208
fax: +617-868-2560
e-mail: brawson@ippnw.org

Physicians for Social Responsibility PSR-Finland
Patrick Sandström, Executive Director
Po Box 722, FIN-00101 Helsinki, Finland
tel: +358-40-5150512
fax: +358-9-4744 8338
e-mail: lsv@kaapeli.fi

Registration
Taikalyhty Ltd
Suvilahdenkatu 10 A
FIN-00580 Helsinki
fax: + 358 9 3487 0021
e-mail: taikalyhty@taikalyhty.fi

Organisation

IPPNW International Organizing Committee

Brian Rawson, Central Office
Ilkka Taipale, PSR-Finland
Michael Christ, Central Office
John Loretz, Central Office
Merav Datan, UN Office
Robert Mtonga, IPPNW Zambia
Nicola Kaatsch, IPPNW Germany
Neil Arya, IPPNW Canada

International Scientific Committee

P Helena Mäkelä, PSR-Finland, President
Ian Maddocks, IPPNW Australia
Ignacio Paniagua, IPPNW El Salvador
Edison Mworozi, IPPNW Uganda
Wendy Cukier, SAFER-Net
Lora Lumpe, Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers and Amnesty
International USA
Kathi Austin, Fund for Peace
David Meddings, International Committee of the Red Cross
Etienne Krug, World Health Organization
Michael Klare, Hampshire College
Robin Coupland, ICRC

Local Organizing Committee

Ilkka Taipale , PSR-Finland, President
P Helena Mäkelä, PSR-Finland
Kati Juva, PSR-Finland
Vappu Taipale, PSR-Finland
Hannu Vessari, PSR-Finland
Patrick Sandström, PSR-Finland
Reijo Kantola, Taikalyhty Ltd

Paasitorni Conference Center

The location of natural beauty, with a sea and a park view, in downtown Helsinki, at the cross-roads of public transports, sounds almost too good to be true, but the conference guests of Paasitorni also have shopping centres, hotels, banks, cultural establishments and entertainment possibilities within walking distance. It is no wonder, then, that Paasitorni has in a short time become one of the most popular conference and congress centres in Finland.

Paasitorni is founding member of the international chain Historic Conference Centres of Europe. An exceptional cultural heritage and modern, top-class conference services are qualifications required of the members. The early 20th century grey granite architecture of the building and the interiors restored to their original splendour create the right atmosphere for a successful event.