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Haiti — Gun Facts, Figures and the Law

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StockpilesGun Numbers

Civilian Guns

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms

The estimated total number of guns held by civilians in Haiti is 190,0001

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Rate of Civilian Firearm Possession per 100 Population

The rate of private gun ownership in Haiti is 0.61 firearms per 100 people

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Number of Privately Owned Firearms - World Ranking

In a comparison of the number of privately owned guns in 178 countries, Haiti ranked at No. 1182

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Rate of Privately Owned Firearms per 100 Population - World Ranking

In a comparison of the rate of private gun ownership in 178 countries, Haiti ranked at No. 1641

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Number of Registered Firearms

The number of registered guns in Haiti is reported to be 20,3792 3

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Rate of Registered Firearms per 100 Population

The rate of registered firearms per 100 people in Haiti is 0.224

Government Guns

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Number of Military Firearms

The defence forces of Haiti are reported to have 14,0605 firearms

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Number of Law Enforcement Firearms

Police in Haiti are reported to have 33,0346 firearms

ImpactsDeath and Injury

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Homicides (any method)

In Haiti, annual homicides by any means total

2010: 6897

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Rate of Homicide per 100,000 People (any method)

ChartIn Haiti, the annual rate of homicide by any means per 100,000 population is

2010: 6.97
2009: 6.1
2008: 5.0
2007: 5.1
2006: 12.008
2004: 21.808 7
2003: 21.30
2002: 18.60
2001: 33.90
1999: 14.67

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Suicides (any method)

In Haiti, annual suicides by any means total

2003: 29

TransfersGun Trade and Trafficking

Regulation of Firearm Exports

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Small Arms Exports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition exports from Haiti is reported to be US$110 (2010)

Regulation of Firearm Imports

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Small Arms Imports (US$) - Customs

The annual value of small arms and ammunition imports to Haiti is reported to be US$223,68010 (2011)

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Market Cost of an AK-47 Assault Rifle (US$)

The asking price for an AK-47 pattern assault weapon in Haiti is reported to be US$25011

MeasuresGun Regulation

Collection, Amnesty and Destruction Programmes

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Surrendered in Gun Amnesty

In Haiti, the number of firearms and/or rounds of ammunition voluntarily surrendered for destruction in recent arms amnesty and collection programmes is reported to be 20012 (2006)

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Destruction and Disposal Policy

In Haiti, it is state policy13 to destroy surplus, collected and seized firearms rather than return them to the secondary arms market

MeasuresInternational Controls

Regional Agreements

Organization of American States

On 14 November 1997, as a member of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Haiti adopted the Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA), a legally binding multilateral treaty of which the OAS is depository. The CIFTA Convention has since been signed and ratified14 15 by Haiti

United Nations Arms Trade Treaty

In 2009, Haiti voted to begin16 negotiations towards a legally binding Arms Trade Treaty. In this vote, 151 UN Member States supported talks on an ATT, with 1 voting against, 20 abstentions, and 20 non-votes

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United Nations Firearms Protocol

The United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition has not been signed17 by Haiti

United Nations Small Arms Programme of Action UNPoA

UNPoA Commitment

On 21 July 2001, Haiti committed to a consensus decision of the United Nations to adopt, support and implement the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects18

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UNPoA National Reporting

Under the terms of its 2001 commitment to the United Nations small arms Programme of Action, Haiti has submitted one or more national reports19 20 on its implementation of the UNPoA

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UNPoA National Point of Contact

In Haiti, a National Point of Contact to deal with issues relating to the UNPoA has been designated21 20

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UNPoA International Assistance – Donor

Funds for UNPoA implementation have not been donated20 by Haiti to other UN Member States

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UNPoA International Assistance – Recipient

Funds for UNPoA implementation have been provided20 to Haiti by other UN Member States

United Nations Small Arms Register

According to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms, Haiti has not declared2 its small arms exports in one or more annual National Reports on Arms Exports.

United Nations Membership

In the UN List of Member States, Haiti has been a Member State of the United Nations since 194522

Wassenaar Arrangement

The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies does not list23 Haiti as a Participating State

Short References

1.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms - Annexe online.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q5)Full Citation

2.

Karp, Aaron.2007.‘Completing the Count: Civilian firearms.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q4)Full Citation

3.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Civilian Firearms Legally Registered.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5679)Full Citation

4.

GunPolicy.org.2011.‘Calculated Rates – Haiti.’ Historical Population Data – USCB International Data Base.Suitland, MD:US Census Bureau Population Division,17 March. (Q4242)Full Citation

5.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q6)Full Citation

6.

Karp, Aaron.2006.‘Trickle and Torrent: State stockpiles.’ Small Arms Survey 2006: Unfinished Business.Oxford:Oxford University Press,1 July. (Q7)Full Citation

7.

UNODC.2011.‘Homicide in 207 Countries - Haiti.’ Global Study on Homicide 2011: Trends, Context, Data.Vienna:United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime,6 October. (Q6361)Full Citation

8.

Petrini, Benjamin.2011.‘Latin America and the Caribbean, 1995-2008, Total Recorded Intentional Homicide, Completed, Rate per 100,000 Population.’ World Bank Homicide Rate Dataset 1995-2008.Washington DC:Social Development Department, World Bank,10 February. (Q3817)Full Citation

9.

OAS Observatory on Citizen Security.2011.‘Suicide.’ Report on Citizen Security in the Americas 2011.Washington, DC:Organisation of American States,1 January. (Q5680)Full Citation

10.

Marsh, Nicholas.2013.‘Database of Authorised Transfers of Small Arms and Light Weapons.’ NISAT Small Arms Trade Database.Oslo:Norwegian Initiative on Small Arms Transfers,14 February. (Q16)Full Citation

11.

World Bank.2007.‘Available Kalashnikov Prices for Specific Countries and Periods.’ Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,27 August. (Q3)Full Citation

12.

Karp, Aaron.2009.‘Summary of Disarmament Outcomes in 45 DDR Programmes.’ Small Arms Survey 2009: Shadows of War.Cambridge:Cambridge University Press,9 July. (Q2941)Full Citation

13.

UNDPI.2006.‘Major Review at United Nations to Assess Progress Made, Actions Needed to Further Stem Illegal Small Arms Trade.’ Department of Public Information, News and Media Division, Peace and Security Section.New York:United Nations,20 June. (Q5075)Full Citation

14.

OAS / UNODA.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials / CIFTA.’ United Nations Programme of Action Implementation Support System: Regional Organisations.New York:Organization of American States / United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs,14 November. (Q3244)Full Citation

15.

OAS.1997.‘Inter-American Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Explosives, Ammunition and Other Related Materials (CIFTA): Signatures and Ratifications.’ Organization of American States, Department of International Law.Washington DC:Organization of American States,14 November. (Q3262)Full Citation

16.

UNGA.2009.‘Towards an Arms Trade Treaty: Establishing common international standards for the import, export and transfer of conventional arms.’ UN Resolution A/RES/64/48.New York:United Nations General Assembly,2 June. (Q1886)Full Citation

17.

UNGA.2001.‘United Nations Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition.’ UN General Assembly Resolution 55/255.New York:UN General Assembly,31 May. (Q17)Full Citation

18.

UNGA.2001.‘Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects.’ United Nations General Assembly.New York:UN General Assembly,20 July. (Q18)Full Citation

19.

Cattaneo, Silvia and Sarah Parker.2008.‘Reporting, NPCs and NCAs, 2002 to 2008.’ Implementing the United Nations Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons: Analysis of the National Reports submitted by States from 2002 to 2008.Geneva:United Nations Development Programme,1 November. (Q20)Full Citation

20.

UNODA.2009.‘PoA-ISS Country Profiles.’ UN small arms Programme of Action (UNPoA) – Implementation Support System.New York:United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs,29 October. (Q1309)Full Citation

21.

IANSA.2006.‘Reviewing Action on Small Arms 2006: Assessing the first five years of the UN Programme of Action.’ Biting the Bullet 'Red Book' 2006.New York:International Action Network on Small Arms and the Biting the Bullet project,26 June. (Q166)Full Citation

22.

UN.2013.‘Member States of the United Nations.’ UN.org Web Site.New York:United Nations General Assembly,7 April. (Q290)Full Citation

23.

Wassenaar Arrangement.1996.‘Introduction: Participating States.’ Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls and Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies.Vienna:Wassenaar Secretariat,12 July. (Q19)Full Citation