Overview

WGWR is a Cambodian non-profit organization working to promote peace and safety for all people at all levels of Cambodian society. The WGWR approach is to eradicate small arms and light weapons as an option for problem solving.

Background

Cambodia is well known for its scourge of landmines, which littered the entire country after almost 30 years of internal armed conflict. Less well known is the equally lethal legacy of small arms that accumulated over the decades of fighting and mistrust. Despite the end of armed conflict, an unjustifiable surplus of weapons and ammunition remain in the country. Proliferation and misuse of small arms have a direct negative impact on community development, human security, human rights and public health in Cambodia In August 1998, a group of local and international organizations and individuals formed a coalition and established the Working Group for Weapons Reduction (WGWR). The group shared a concern about the number of weapons in circulation and the level of violence in society. WGWR began its pilot year in February 1999, with two national staff and a volunteer advisor. Pilot year activities, primarily supported by member organizations through grants and in-kind donations, focused on research, public education, network building, and internal WGWR organizational development. Civil society support for active engagement in small arms issues grew during this period. Also, the national government continued carrying out its weapons confiscation and collection program across the country. From June 2001, WGWR established four projects, namely: Public Education; Monitoring and Research; Information and Advocacy; and NGOs Partnership. In June 2002, WGWR was restructured and became an independent organization governed by a Board of Directors. In January 2004, WGWR projects were reorganized. The former Information and Advocacy Project and the Monitoring and Research Project were merged to become the Small Arms and Light Weapons Policy Development (SPD) Program. In addition, as the campaign activities, which were the responsibility of the Public Education Project, grew in size and complexity, a new project, known as the Small Arms Awareness Campaign Project, was established to work on the increased campaign activities. The Public Education Project became the Peace and Disarmament Education (PEA) Program to better reflect the specific nature of its work. The NGO Partnership Project remained to work with NGO partners but it became Community Security (CS) Program and focuses on improving security in communities.

Value

N/A

Mission

WGWR is a Cambodian non-profit organization working to promote peace and safety for all people at all levels of Cambodian society. The WGWR approach is to eradicate small arms and light weapons as an option for problem solving. WGWR is concerned with the continuing number of weapons in circulation and the level of violence that permeates society, well after Cambodia's internal armed conflict has come to an end. WGWR is dedicated to working at all levels of society and from every perspective to remedy this situation. WGWR is also committed to finding local solutions to Cambodian issues, while recognizing that the global dimensions of this problem necessitate globally coordinated responses.

Vision

Cambodia as a place of peace and safety where people at all levels of society enjoy peace within themselves and in their communities, using neither weapons nor violent means to solve problems.

Goal

N/A