Armed violence reduction

The concept of armed violence reduction (AVR) has gained significant in importance after the 2006 Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. According to OECD, more than 740,000 people die each year as a result of the violence associated with armed conflicts and large- and small-scale criminality. Furthermore, armed violence impedes humanitarian and socio-economic development and, hence, it is an obstruction to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).
Key numbers on armed violence from the Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development.
Armed violence reduction is therefore essential for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.