Managing weapons
Guns kill more people each year than landmines. According to the UN, there are over 750 million illicit weapons in circulation globally.
The majority of these weapons are stolen from government stockpiles. They fall into the hands of insurgents, extremists and criminal gangs in countless countries, from Central America to West Africa and the Balkans. They are used in terrorist attacks, human trafficking, and to stoke violence in fragile states. They also fuel domestic violence, which disproportionately affects women and girls.
Explosions of illicit and state-held ammunition stockpiles are a major risk. They cause thousands of casualties and millions of dollars of damage. As these stockpiles are often in urban centres, the recovery from accidental explosions can take many years.
Our work
HALO works alongside governments and local security forces to secure and manage stockpiles of weapons and explosives.
Uncontrolled arms fuel violence and threaten the safety of entire communities. By establishing effective controls, we create the foundations for sustainable peace and long-term regional stability.
Storing weapons and ammunition safely
HALO reduces the risk of theft and unplanned explosions by building safe and secure weapons storage facilities. Our work ranges from refurbishing existing rooms, to building multi-million-dollar facilities from the ground up. These can involve multiple buildings, road networks, fencing, and lightning protection.
Destroying stockpiles
HALO also works on reducing the risk of unplanned ammunition explosions. We safely destroy ageing stockpiles of unstable items that are a threat to life. We also destroy stockpiles of unusable state weapons or illicit weapons that have been seized by law enforcement. This significantly reduces the risk of the items being used for armed violence.
Training security personnel
We train local law enforcement and security personnel to safely manage weapons. This enables the state to secure to take control of their weapons and ammunition effectively. This builds accountability and trust, and makes life safer for the local communities.
Training staff
At HALO, we train our staff in technical and management skills. We're strong supporters of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. We have a Women Managing Weapons programme that removes barriers for women around the world to get involved with weapons management.
Our impact
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Safety: Removing the threat of accidental explosions in populated areas.
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Stability: Preventing the illicit diversion of weapons to conflict zones.
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Security: Building the capacity of local forces to manage their own national security.
Success stories
Security sector transformation in Honduras
HALO's partnership with the Honduran Armed Forces and the Public Prosecutor's Office will ensure that institutions have the tools to manage their stockpiles.
Weapons marking in the Western Balkans
HALO's project in Bosnia and Herzegovina has made 97% of the country's arsenal safe. Learn how we plan to roll this out across the Western Balkans.
Women Managing Weapons: Central America
Women in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are building skills in weapons and ammunition management. Read more on their contribution to safer futures.
