The gun-free zone

In an attempt to prevent and reduce armed violence, a number of national and regional Governments and local communities have established gun-free zones (GFZs). Obviously, such a measure cannot be taken in a vacuum; the root causes for the frequent carrying of guns in an unregulated setting must be addressed as well. But if embedded in a set of measures to reduce violence in a limited area, the establishment of GFZs may indeed contribute to improved perceptions of safety. The aim of this paper is to bring together information and experiences from practitioners and policymakers and analyse the impact of GFZs in order to determine when and where GFZs can be a valuable measure to prevent and reduce armed violence. This will assist Governments, local authorities, and international development and peacebuilding agencies and organizations in gaining a better understanding of GFZs in order to incorporate, where applicable, this tool into their strategies to prevent and reduce armed violence.