Guns in the Borderlands. Reducing the Demand for Small Arms

This research paper examines the role of local peace-building organizations in reducing the demand for small arms in Kenya, arguing that community-based, demand-side interventions are more effective in marginalized areas than traditional state-sponsored supply-side regulations.

• Small arms proliferation in Africa often occurs in marginalized areas with 'unofficial' economies where state control is limited, leading local peace-building groups to implement demand reduction strategies that are more successful than state-sponsored projects.
• The demand for firearms is driven by factors including identity-based conflict, availability, marginal economies, and a lack of development and education. The author suggests that demand-based interventions offer a creative alternative to 'traditionally despotic' measures of gun proliferation.
• To reduce the demand for small arms, governments and donors should provide alternative economies through stimulus projects, implement education curricula focused on conflict resolution, integrate adult literacy into disarmament, and fund youth activities to divert potential users from violence.

APA

Weiss, T. (n.d.). Guns in the Borderlands. Reducing the Demand for Small Arms. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-95-guns-in-the-borderlands.-reducing-the-demand-for-small-arms-taya-weiss

Chicago

Weiss, Taya. Guns in the Borderlands. Reducing the Demand for Small Arms. Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-95-guns-in-the-borderlands.-reducing-the-demand-for-small-arms-taya-weiss.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Weiss |first1=Taya |title=Guns in the Borderlands. Reducing the Demand for Small Arms |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-95-guns-in-the-borderlands.-reducing-the-demand-for-small-arms-taya-weiss |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{weissndguns, author = {Weiss, Taya}, title = {{Guns in the Borderlands. Reducing the Demand for Small Arms}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/monographs/monograph-95-guns-in-the-borderlands.-reducing-the-demand-for-small-arms-taya-weiss}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }