According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) an average of 526,000 people die as a direct result of armed violence each year. In addition to this are hundreds of thousands of indirect deaths and the general stagnation or degradation of development in areas affected by armed conflict, resulting in an estimated total of 740,000 people dying on average each year as the result of armed violence.

From rural villages in central Somalia to urban slums in Rio de Janeiro, violent crime is on the rise and is an issue that affects every one of us in one way or another – whether it be due to large-scale war or the fear of walking the streets at night. On a global scale the cost of homicidal violence is, according to OECD, estimated at between 95 and 160 billion USD each year and developing countries on average spend a massive 10-15% of their GDP on law enforcement.

Armed violence not only kills individuals – it destroys families and orphans children; it takes away livelihoods and impoverishes whole populations; it causes physical disability and burdens health services; it breeds fear and insecurity and causes psychological trauma; it destroys infrastructure and weakens the rule of law; it imposes enormous costs on states, communities and individuals; it closes schools and empties markets; it prevents humanitarian assistance from reaching people in need; and it obstructs establishment of sustainable political organisation. In short: Armed violence impedes development everywhere it occurs.

Armed Violence Reduction (AVR) emerged as a specific approach to reduce global fatality rates and further development following the 2006 Geneva Declaration on Armed Violence and Development. With the broad support for this declaration, the international community has acknowledged that armed violence and conflict impede the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals. Addressing the root causes of armed violence is key to a safer and more stable society.

Acknowledging the severity of armed violence, Danish Demining Group (DDG) has developed a comprehensive Armed Violence Reduction approach to reduce the impact of conflict and armed violence.