Controlling the use and proliferation of small arms and light weapons has become a focus of international efforts to prevent conflict and promote human security. In September 1999, Fafo's Peace Implementation Network convened a special Forum in Montreal on the policies and practices of small arms and light weapons disarmament as a component of peace-building and as part of peace support operations. The Forum brought together a small group of professionals with operational experience in weapons collection, including officials from bilateral and multilateral institutions, international and national non-governmental organisations. Drawing on the observations and analysis presented by these participants “Swords for Ploughshares” examines the dynamics of weapons collection programmes and offers practicable measures to improve the implementation of these programmes.
