The Small Arms Survey (SAS) is an independent research project located at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. It provides information on all aspects of small arms and armed violence, as a resource for governments, policy-makers, researchers, and activists, as well as research on small arms issues.
The survey monitors national and international initiatives (governmental and non-governmental), and acts as a forum and clearinghouse for the sharing of information. It also disseminates best practice measures and initiatives dealing with small arms issues.
SAS's mandate is to look at all aspects of small arms and armed violence. It provides research and analysis by which to support governments to reduce the incidence of armed violence and illicit trafficking through evidence-based analysis.
The project's staff includes international experts in security studies, political science, law, international public policy, development studies, economics, conflict resolution, and sociology. The staff works closely with a worldwide network of researchers and partners.
History
The Small Arms Survey was established in 1999 "on the initiative" of Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and "in conjunction with other interested governments". They placed the project under the tutelage of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID).
In July 1999, Keith Krause became the founder and programme director. The Canadian political scientist, who wrote his PhD thesis at Oxford University on the issue of international arms transfers and has been a professor of international politics at the IHEID since 1994, remained in that position until December 2015.
Focus projects The Small Arms Survey hosts the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development Secretariat.
The Small Arms Survey's Human Security Baseline Assessment for Sudan and South Sudan project supports violence reduction initiatives, including disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration programmes, incentive schemes for civilian arms collections and security sector reform, and arms control interventions across Sudan.
The Security Assessment in North Africa project supports efforts to build a more secure environment in North Africa and the Sahel-Sahara region. The project produces evidence-based research and analysis on the availability and circulation of small arms, the dynamics of emerging armed groups, and related insecurity. The research stresses the effects of the recent uprisings and armed conflicts in the region on community safety.
2018 report In 2018, Small Arms Survey reported that there are over one billion small arms distributed globally, of which 857 million (about 85 per cent) are in civilian hands.Estimating Global CivilianHELD Firearms Numbers. Aaron Karp. June 2018 According to Small Arms Survey's estimates, U.S. civilians alone account for 393 million (about 46 per cent) of the worldwide total of civilian held firearms. This amounts to "120.5 firearms for every 100 residents."
According to the report, the world's armed forces control about 133 million (about 13 per cent) of the global total of small arms, of which over 43 per cent belong to two countries: the Russian Federation (30.3 million) and China (27.5 million). And, the world's law enforcement agencies control about 23 million (about 2 per cent) of the global total of small arms.
Global distribution of firearms